Homes for Spanish orphans: report of visit to Spain, September 1938 (circular)

              [Crossed out: Return to Will Lawther  Red Hill  Durham]
THE MINEWORKERS' FEDERATION OF GREAT BRITAIN.
To the Members of the Executive Committee,
Gentlemen,	
Homes for Spanish Orphans.
Visit to Spain - September, 1938.
The following is a brief summary of our visit to Spain in connection with the disposal of the fund raised by the M.F.G.B., for the equipment of Homes for and the maintenance of 1,000 Spanish orphans.
We arrived at the Spanish Frontier via Perpignon early in the morning of Sunday, 25th September, 1938, where we were met by representatives of the U.G.T., and at once taken by car to the various children's Homes.
Our first stop was at a small village on the Spanish coast where we were joined by further representatives of the U.G.T., and other Organisations. Tea was served and speeches delivered on behalf of the delegation by Messrs. Schevenels and Lawther and by two representatives of the U.G.T., each of whom expressed the profound gratitude of the Spanish workers for the assistance given by the British Miners.
We then proceeded to the village of SANTA CHRISTINA where we inspected one of the Homes. This Home had previously been the dwelling of a rich merchant and was large and airy with beautiful surroundings. The Home has been equipped with a modern kitchen-range and utensils, and has a dining-room, school-room (including piano), two large bedrooms each with twenty-five beds, and various smaller rooms, with children's library, games, etc,. The beds are small iron Hospital beds with matress, pillow, sheets and bed rug. A shortage of bed rugs had been experienced and application had been made for more of these rugs, forty in all being still needed to complete the 200 beds which we had originally undertaken to equip. Mr. Schevenels intimated that whilst he had received word of this shortage he had taken no action until we had visited the Homes and seen the bed rug in question. We agreed upon the supply of the forty bed rugs required. Approximately twenty children, six to fourteen years of age, have been installed in the Home. We were very favourably impressed with the equipment of this Home.
We next proceeded to a village called GENES but unfortunately the Home in this village, which is not yet fully equipped, was locked, no children being in residence and therefore we were unable to inspect the Home but were informed by the Spanish representatives that the Home is almost ready and will accommodate 100 children.
From GENES we proceeded to LORRET DE MAR where we visited two Homes, the first of which was for girls only. This Home was only partially equipped and is intended for special training of girls twelve years of age and over. We saw the Instruction or Workroom which was specially equipped with sewing-machines, etc. We also inspected the kitchen, dining-room and bedrooms. The bedrooms are empty awaiting beds and bedding. This Home was formerly a Cafe and is on the beach and will accommodate 1OO girls.