- Guide Gift Week
Guide Gift Week was a fundraising appeal by the Girl Guides throughout the
British Empire in1940 . TheUnited Kingdom was at this time engaged inWorld War II and much of the money raised was used to help those in the Armed Forces.An announcement in April 1940 in the magazine "The Guider" appealed for a total of £20000. Two
air ambulance s, being "the first specially constructed ambulance aircraft to be used by the R.A.F. in the war", [cite book| last =Liddell | first =Alix | authorlink= Alix Liddell | title =Story of the Girl Guides 1938-1975 | publisher =Girl Guides Association | date =1976 | location =London ] cost a total of £15000 and the remaining £5000 was to be spent on a lifeboat.Money was to be raised directly from the members, each being asked to contribute half a day's salary or income. Younger members raised money by doing odd jobs, such as gardening and child care.
At the end of the designated week £46217 had been raised and money continued to be added to the fund.
Money raised in Guide Gift Week finally bought:
*two air ambulances
*a lifeboat, later named theGuide of Dunkirk
*two mobile canteens to be run by theYMCA
*equipment for rest huts for theBritish Army
*furnishing and equipment for the Trefoil Hut inIceland for the Merchant Navy
*twenty motor ambulances for theRoyal Navy .The
British Film Institute holds footage of the presentations of many of these items.ee also
Notes
References
*cite web| title = Girl Guide Gift Week | publisher =
British Film Institute | url = http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/3559 | accessdate = 2006-10-12
*cite book| last =Liddell | first =Alix | authorlink= Alix Liddell | title =Story of the Girl Guides 1938-1975 | publisher =Girl Guides Association | date =1976 | location =London
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