Food for Thought
Another Kind of Charity
Maud was just settling in her upright arm chair to watch or maybe snooze through an afternoon TV play when the door bell went. When it rang again she struggled to her feet and called out “I’m coming” as she made her way slowly through to the front door. The outline of three figures told her who it was. Only the bulky shape of their neighbour from across the road with her two fidgeting children could fit the picture.
As she opened the door, one of the children thrust a bedraggled sheet of paper into her hand. “They are doing a sponsored walk for the school” Mum said. Maud looked down at the sheet. It appeared that she was being asked to sponsor a child for a given amount per lap. “Where are you walking” she asked the boy. “Round the field” muttered Oliver. Maud had remembered his name. She assumed that he meant the village playing field.
“You will walk a very long way if you walk all the way round the field several times” she said. “Oh no” His Mother protested. “They can’t have children walking over all that rough grass, they might trip over. They are walking round the football pitch and there will be stewards to make sure they are all OK.” Maud couldn’t hide a smile at the idea of children injuring themselves walking through the natural areas of the field. Why she often stretched her legs there herself. “Are you both doing this walk?” she asked the girl. “I would like to sponsor you both”. “Yes. Natalie is doing it as well but she is only 7, so we only expect her to do a few laps,” their Mother replied for them.
Maud was having some ideas of her own. In her mind children of ten and seven should be able to answer questions and make their requests for themselves. These children were being smothered by their Mother. Even if they were not too fat to do anything by the time they left school they would have no imagination or initiative. She hadn’t been a school teacher for forty years without learning how to encourage young people. This family needed her help. She was thinking how she could achieve this without appearing an interfering old busybody. Then she remembered the nature table they always had in her classrooms. Lots of smelly nests and dead birds from the boys and bunches of wild flowers from the girls. “I see you already have quite a few sponsors Oliver. How many have you got Natalie?” She put her hand out to the little girl for her form. “Oh, not quite so many. That’s a pity but I expect you will get some more before the closing date. When are you walking?” “Saturday week” Natalie said giving Maud a shy smile.
“And are you doing any practice? When my daughter used to run in half marathons she went out every evening to practice.” “It’s only walking!” Oliver said rudely. “But if you don’t practice, young man you won’t manage as many laps as the other boys and you won’t get so much money. Then you won’t be top of the list in your class.” “My Grannies have said they will give me £5 if I take part and Granddad has said he will double what I get so that I will win. There’s a prize for whoever gets the most. How much are you going to give us then?”
Maud was forming a plan. These children were as deprived as any she had met. They had learnt no manners and never took exercise. She was sure that they were unaware of the beauty of the area they lived in. Would it work? She really had to try. “Yes I’ll sponsor you but not on those forms.” She raised her hand to still their Mother’s protests. Her old skills were still there. They all looked at her expectantly.
“How would it be if I helped you walk further than anyone else so all your existing sponsors will have to give you more money? If you did 25 laps each how much would you get from the people who have put down £1 per lap?” Natalie quickly gave the answer. “And how many people have said that’s what they will give you?” Natalie’s finger went down the list. “Eight” she counted. “Gosh that’s £200! But I could never do that many laps.” “I could” Oliver shouted, “and I’ve got ten people.” “They can’t do that much, no one expects them to. They are only kids.” said their mother. “Oh yes they can with your help and mine.” Maud told her “It is all about practice.
They are only walking not running but leg muscles need practice. I said I would sponsor them and I will but only to practice. I want you to take them for a short walk each day. I will give them 50p between them each day they go for a walk and put that up to £1 for every day they walk along the sea wall as far as the power station.” “I’m making it a brother and sister sponsorship Oliver because Natalie’s legs are shorter than yours so you will have to encourage her and go at her pace but remember on the big day if you can do more laps then you will get more than the other boys and your sister will have helped you.”
“Now, there is one other thing. Something for me. When I was a teacher my children used to bring me all kinds of things they had found whilst out walking. Special stones, pretty grasses, shells from the beach by the power station – all sorts. I miss that so I want you to find me things on your walks and I will give you an extra bonus for the best find. Do you think you can do that? Bring them each evening and tell me how far you have walked, and we will put it on a chart”
So a routine started. Every evening Maud would watch the children set off with their Mother. She had known that they wouldn’t be allowed to go on their own so Mum was going to have to walk herself, as well. At first their Mother had been very doubtful and hadn’t really wanted to go along with the idea but as is the way of children the more negative she was the more positive they were. They came back with a variety of finds which Maud put on a table in the hall to display them with a jam jar for their sponsorship money so that they could see it accumulating. Natalie usually counted it. It was several days before they earned their first £1 but soon it was every night. The children were rosy cheeked from the wind and started to stay for a chat and a bun whilst their Mother rushed home to get tea.
The evening before the charity walk Maud invited their Mum and Dad in for a sherry to celebrate and had baked iced buns for the children. She handed over £10 sponsorship money before giving Natalie £5 for finding a beautiful, tiny but perfect shell. Oliver looked very disappointed that his sister had won.
“There are no losers today, Oliver” Maud said “Do you see your piece of drift wood? I’ve varnished it and will use it next month in my flower display for the Village Show. If I had had to buy it I would have paid about £5 so here you are – I’m buying it from you.”
Dad clapped and then their Mother made another announcement. “I’ll admit I thought the whole thing was a bit daft but the kids have enjoyed it and when I weighed in at Weight Watchers I had lost 7lbs. I’ve been really struggling but that made me “Slimmer of the Week”. So we are all winners.”
Yes we are all winners Maud thought during the next week when her neighbours popped in to tell her that Oliver had manage 25 laps and Natalie 20 getting them both special prizes. She was thrilled with the bunch of wild grasses they had brought her from their evening’s walk and to hear that they were going to continue the walks and could they continue to bring their finds to her so she could identify them. More likely for iced buns she thought but she would enjoy their company.
Claire Urry
