Sharing the Burden... Besides the voluntary work the pupils put into the school garden even in the holiday periods they did a remarkable amount of charitable work. For example, in December 1940, a quantity of clothing was collected and distributed for Greenford people in need via the local clergy. (With the loss of homes and their belongings in the bombing raids many people were destitute.) In the following March a further quantity of clothing was collected at Greenford. Some of this was being used for a very few really necessitous cases that they had in Torquay, and the remainder was turned over for the general use of Ealing evacuees. In addition to the amount raised for War Weapons Week, the School Savings Group raised 130.10.0 as a special effort in September of '41. In June 1943, the school collected the sum of 1512 during Wings for Victory Week and two pupils won prizes in the model and toy making competitions. In May 1944, the pupils collected the amount of 876 during 'Salute the Soldiers Week'. Because adults were otherwise employed on enterprises to do with the war or civil defence, there was a shortage of labour for the annual Christmas rush at the Post Office. Like children elsewhere, Greenford pupils did their bit. For Christmas 1942 40 Greenford County pupils gave help with the post and the following year about 60 were involved. The school established a Charities Collection towards which fund pupils and staff subscribed 1d a week. Organisations such as the Red Cross, Ealing Hospital, the War Victims' Relief Fund, the Air Raid Distress Fund, and the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association benefited each term from donations of amounts ranging between 12 and 26 depending on the number of pupils in the school that term. In addition extra amounts were occasionally raised: A party of carol singers raised 5 for the Red Cross Fund this was earmarked for the children of Greece. An amount of 4.12.4d was collected for the Red Cross when two French plays were presented by the first forms to the School at the end of one term, and this sum was earmarked for French children. Adopt a Minesweeper In March 1942 the school adopted a minesweeper HMS Eastcotes. The sum of 20 was immediately collected by pupils and staff to buy materials for making articles of clothing for the members of the crew. By the end of that school year the School collected a large number of books and periodicals, a gramophone and records, and other items for the adopted Minesweeper. More money was collected and a large number of people were at work making sea-boot stockings and special gloves for the crew. Lieutenant Waller, second in command of the HMS Eastcotes visited the school and inspired members of the school to even greater efforts collecting books and money and making items to send the crew so that by Christmas of '42 large quantities of knitted comforts, books, sweets, cigarettes, etc. collected by the children made up 71 parcels which were sent to the crew. Members of the crew began corresponding with members of the School. Lieutenant Waller made another visit the following year and spoke to the whole School thus inspiring the pupils to continue to aid the members of the crew in the same way until the war was over. Pupils Picked a Peck - or Two - of Fruit! In July 1942 the Head reported: We are to run a Harvest Camp for fruit picking at Tardebigge, near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, from the 11th July until the 8th August. About 80 boys and girls will be going to the camp. There will be a considerable change of personnel after the first fortnight, and the number of pupils at the camp at one time will average about 50. The average number of Staff will be 5. And in the Aututnn he gave his report on how it went: The Camp was very successful both from the work and the financial point of view, and we have been asked to go again to the same farm next year for a longer period. The main work consisted of soft fruit picking, and 14 tons of fruit, mainly raspberries and blackcurrants, were harvested. Again the following summer (1943): We hope to run a Harvest Camp for six weeks for fruit picking in Worcestershire. Sixteen members of the Staff and about 130 children will take part in the camp for varying periods over six weeks. This time over 11,000 lbs. of blackcurrants and raspberries and 70 tons of pears were picked. In 1944 another very successful Harvest Camp was held at Tardebigge involving 91 pupils, 2 ex-pupils, and 14 members of staff over varying periods up to 4 weeks who picked a total of 39,074 lbs. of soft fruit. Prospice No 2 states: 'Those who attended the Tardebigge Harvest Camps of 1942 and 1943 will remember Miss Stonebridge's indefatigable energies, and how she and Mr Marshall, by a mixture of 'inspiration' and hard work, turned a scheme burdened at first with considerable financial anxiety into an assured success and one thoroughly enjoyed by all.' In 1947 Prospice, the School Magazine, published a letter (dated 11.7.47) the Old Scholars Association had received from F Scott-Warren, Vicar at Tardebigge, which gives some idea of the welcome impact the members of Greenford County School had on this farming community during the war, and the post-war effects of labour shortages: We shall miss you very badly. I understand that our friends from Swindon will be here, probably this coming week-end. They will be camping at Dust House, for this is the only building left to T and M Dixon (the farm owners). Stoney Lane Farm was sold and Horn's Hall but I gather that Dixons will be giving up most of their soft fruit and concentrating on pears. Nearly all their fields now have the latter fruit. I shall never forget the happy association with Greenford - it was after your first visit to Tardebigge that I wrote to the Rector of Greenford to say what charming guests you had been. Please give my affectionate greetings to all old friends. I am afraid that we have been only ships that pass in the night, but the passing has left very pleasant memories - to myself, at any rate. The Spring 1950 edition of Prospice carried the announcement that the Rev. F Scott-Warren had died: The cheery welcome which the Vicar always extended to us as harvest campers was one of the things we looked forward to when returning in successive years, for he made us feel he was genuinely glad we had come again. We were grateful for his very practical hospitality at the Vicarage and many of us enjoyed joining, at his invitation, in the services of the village church on the hill. page 32