Subsidies

It was possible at one time to subsidise some of our guests beyond what is included in the amount at which the holiday is costed.  This in itself represents a small proportion as well as the deduction of the V.A.T.  But at various times, we discovered that we had been deceived by the artful rather than being helpful to the poor.  On one momentous occasion, having collected from one old lady a total of a few pounds as the total charge which she had sought and found around her sitting room in various pots, pockets, tins and vases, we had to agree that we would be satisfied.  On arrival at the holiday venue, this destitute old dear was seen in the Camp shop buying some pounds worth of cards, stamps and presents, altogether costing much more than she had admitted she could afford for her holiday. 

 

Olive was another such applicant.  She protested that the only inhibition on joining us was the amount which she would have to afford.  So the Treasurer and one other visited her and discussed the implications of her finances so far as she was prepared to disclose them.  The amount expected from her was gradually reduced until the Treasurer would budge no further.  To this ultimate figure she agreed and straightaway lifted the corner of the carpet in her sitting room and disclosed several bundles of notes from which she counted out the amount we had asked for and gave it to us and demanded a receipt.

 

Another such guest was Mickie; he was a permanent resident in a local authority old peoples’ home.  He asked for help towards the cost of his holiday and we visited him and had a confidential interview with him in a small sitting room.  Again he was successful in raising our sympathy.  During the holiday, he was fortunate in finding a friend also disabled, who was comparatively well off.  This friend although unable to walk without considerable difficulty, was able to drive his own car and after the first year, Mickie was able to save himself the cost of transport on any of the holidays since Bert always took him as a passenger in the car.  The two of them shared the chalet and both of them gradually deteriorated physically from one year to the next.  It was quite early one morning when a piercing whistle alarmed us and looking out of the door, there was Bert, signalling frantically for help.  Still in our nightwear, we sped to his assistance and there was poor little Mickie, collapsed by his bed in a pool of wet on the floor.  He had partly dressed himself and had attempted to get to the lavatory but his legs had given way under him as he tried to rise.  We summoned more help and Mickie was lifted back into his bed, covered up to get him warm again and given a cup of tea.  It was decided that he ought to remain in bed for a couple of hours until breakfast was over and then some decision could be taken to see if it were necessary to ask the doctor to examine him.  Meanwhile some effort was made to clear up the damp mess on the floor and to rescue some of the clothes which had slipped off the bed and needed drying off.  The trousers seemed surprisingly heavy and when they were turned upside down to get the creases in the right place, two thick bundles of notes in elastic bands fell out of the pocket.  Inquisitive hands were thrust into the other pocket and then into the pockets of his jacket, while Mickie watched with anxious eyes, all the time declaring that it was his spending money.  In consultation with him, he did agree that more than two hundred pounds was somewhat excessive even for his expensive tastes and agreed that all but a small sum should be put into the Camp safe until his return home.  It did seem rather a pity that he had been such a miser because his generous friend never offered him transport in his car again.  Had he at any time, offered to pay something towards the cost of running the car, he would have continued to enjoy the companionship of his generous friend.

 

On another occasion, we were informed by a couple that someone had entered their chalet during the night and taken money from under their pillows.  We questioned them closely.  No! they had heard nothing.  They were quite sure the money had been there the night before when they went to bed.  They were not quite sure how much money had been put there but it might have been twenty pounds or so.

 

We stripped the bed; we took off the pillow cases’; we crawled under the bed; we turned over the mattress; we turned up the carpet along the side of the wall where the bed had been; we searched the bathroom; we even poked into the lavatory closet with the brush but no bundle of notes in an elastic band could we find.

 

We promised to do all in our power to publicise the loss and started to get the tearful wife ready for breakfast.  We pushed on one blue bedroom slipper but the other would not go on beyond the end of her toes.  Feeling for the obstruction out came a thick bundle of ten pound notes.  She held out her hands agitatedly to take it from us but we had already noted that the twenty pounds or so had grown during the short duration of one night to about twenty times its original value.

 

At one time, it used to be possible to persuade welfare sections of various bodies, ex-servicemen’s’ organisations or retired workers fraternity clubs to offer to reduce the cost of some of these holidays for genuine people but even this scheme sometimes went wrong.  One particular lady having heard about the contribution which her friend had enjoyed, suggested that we might wait until she had been able to apply to her husband’s regimental welfare organisation.  This we were happy to do but eventually received a message that no donation would be forthcoming; the lady was a widow of a former army captain and, it was considered, she could well afford to pay for her own holidays out of her large pension.  But she never did.

 

At one time, it used to be possible to persuade welfare sections of various bodies – ex-servicemen’s organisations or retired workers’ fraternity clubs – to offer to reduce the cost of some of these holidays for genuine people but even this scheme sometimes went wrong.  One particular lady, having heard about the contribution which her friend had enjoyed, suggested that we might wait until she had been able to apply to her husband’s regimental welfare organisation.  This we were happy to do but eventually received a message that no donation would be forthcoming.  The lady was the widow of a former army captain and it was considered she could well afford to pay for her own holidays out of her large pension.  But she never did.