THE FOUNDLING SITE
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The Spectator has taken so kindly and, what is more, so effective an interest in the Foundling site Appeal, that I venture to ask you to find space for a brief statement of its present position and prospects.
The Appeal was in great danger during the month of May, when the Committee's option had expired, and before any great single benefactor had come forward ; but on June 2nd Her Majesty the Queen came to the site and took so keen an interest in all that she found going on there—in the open-air classes from the elementary schools around, in the cricket and races and games, but above all in the babies and the nursery school, that hope dawned again in the hearts of the organizers. Meantime the neighbouring boroughs of Holborn and Finsbury were stirring, and the first definite sign of success came on June 5th, with the announcement that the vendors had granted an extension of time (and of the children's occupation) until July 4th, so as to allow negotiations to proceed with the boroughs and the Appeal Council. These negotiations led presently to the intervention of the Lord Mayor, who sum- moned a Conference of representatives from the London County Council and from the boroughs north of the Thames to meet at the Guildhall on July 6th, while another extension of time was granted .by the owners. Lord Rothermere had now decided to come to our rescue, so that at the Conference it was announced that he was willing to purchase one-quarter of the site as a playground for children. The Lord Mayor asked that the Appeal Council should undertake another quarter, to which they readily agreed, while the L.C.C. and Borough Councils undertook to pursue negotiations amongst themselves for the purchase of the remaining half.
It is on this scheme that the Appeal Council have been work- ing for the last month. Even before the Lord Mayor's Con- ference their receipts had taken a leap forward. On June 26th donations were received from the King and Queen. Now, since the Conference, the prospect of ultimate success has proved so encouraging to the public that 263,000 has come in between July 6th and August 10th, including donations of 225,000 from the Pilgrim Trust and of 221,000 jointly from Lord Riddell and Sir Emsley Carr. The greater part of these donations, however, are conditional upon the whole scheme going through—an additional incentive, if one were needed, to the boroughs to pursue the initiative which they so gallantly took in June! Briefly, we have now raised 2105,000 out of the 1118,500 that we undertook at the Conference to raise, and we appeal confidently to the public that cares for children—and
for all that the Foundling Site stands for—to help us through to the end. The expenses of the Appeal have been kept down to one and one-third per cent. (owing to the fact that so much he f-4 work has been performed by volunteers), but still they
do exist, and there will be expenses of conveyance, and of re-turfing the famous lawns which have been trodden bare by the feet of boys and girls through the last three summers. Another 218,000 ought, therefore, to see us through.
May I remind the readers of the Spectator that some 2,500 children, babies and" toddlers " are being cared for daily at the Foundling Site during the school holidays ? If they do not believe me, let them come and see ! _ And may I beg them to make out their cheques to the Foundling Site Appeal, and to send them to me at the address given below.—I am, Sir, &c., JANET TREVELYAN,
West Lodge, Hon. Secretary, Foundling Site Appeal. 93 Guilford Street, 117.C.1.
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