VOLUNTARY SERVICE
Sat.—International tension inevitably leads to a sense of helplessness on the part of many ordinary citizens, for problems which may well affect the destiny of the entire human race seem to be com- pletely beyond their control. However, it is vital that men and women within our democratic society should realise their personal responsibility for helping to create and to sustain that widespread spirit cf international understanding which is so vital to lasting peace and security. This can perhaps he best discovered in the practical demonstration of international co-operation.
International Voluntary Service, the British Branch of Service Civil International, is one of the international organisations which exist to promote this positive approach. By sending international teams to work with Tibetan refugees in India. slum dwellers in Madras village communities in Africa and Southern Europe, old-age pensioners in Birming-
ham or crofters in the Scottish Highlands, it enables young volunteers to discover the possibility and the problems of international co-operation and to realise that at the basis of so many crises is the simple lack of understanding and concern by affluent Man for his less fortunate neighbours. Suffering, disease and poverty cease to he seen simply as local or national difficulties
The number of young people attracted to this type cf voluntary service is constantly increasing, and it is tragic that so many of them should have to be rejected for lack of funds to organise more projects. Two of the thirty British projects during 1961 illustrate the effectiveness of the work. An international team of fifteen volunteers in three weeks provided a complete fresh-water supply sys- tem across a boggy hillside in Sutherland for six remote crofters. In Birmingham thirty-four volun- teers from fifteen countries redecorated rooms in sixty individual homes of old-age pensioners.
We urge those who are encouraged by this import- ant work to send then contributions to the General Secretary at the address below. During 1961 for more than 3,000 volunteer weeks, worked on weekend, short-term and long-term service projects in Britain or by British volunteers abroad, our total adminis- trative expenditure was approximately £6,000.
JOHN W. HARVEY President
MILNER BOYD ORR RICHARD M. TITMUSS C. A. COULSON
Vice-Presidents
DOUGLAS CliILDS
National Chairman
JOHN ISHERWOOD
Honorary Treasurer FRANK A. JUDD General Secretary
International Voluntary Service, 72 Oakley Square, NW I
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