Civil Service Voluntary Land Club

HELPING THE FARMERS.
Volunteers making good the Labour Shortage.

APPRECIATION of local farmers for Lytham St.Annes branch of the Voluntary Land Club is proved by the fact that there has always been too much work for the 175 volunteers to cope with.

Each week they have received fresh invitations to go back to various farms and work has been coming in all the time. They have not been idle for one single hour and complete co-operation between everyone has been the keynote of their success. In the harvest time their services will be of great value.

The club was formed in June of this year when only a few of the members had experience of farming. Now, it is a different matter. They are experts at weeding, hoeing and digging. No job is too tough for them.

Most of their work incurs doing this type of job. Often it has been monotonous and more than often back-breaking, yet there have been no complaints as it is work that is vital to victory.

SPARE TIME WORKERS.

Throughout the summer members have worked during their spare evening and on Saturdays and Sundays, on week-days from about 6-30 till 10-0 and at the week-ends as long as they could. Now evening work will be curtailed a little because of the end of double summer time.

For this work they get an allowance paid to them by the farmers. They hand this in to the treasurer and it is then given to deserving charities. A sum of money is to be sent shortly to
the Agricultural Red Cross Fund. Doing this work members benefit two causes at once, that of the farmers and of various charitable organisations.

There is no boundary to hamper them in their choice of farms, though a distance of ten miles is considered far enough when a hard day's work has been done, and a long cycle ride has to be faced. As often as possible they try to catch buses or trains, but if the farm they are sent to is off the beaten track then it is up to them to cycle there. No special transport is provided for them.

175 MEMBERS.

The problem of meals is easily solved. At week-ends members take sandwiches themselves, and if it is fit sit down in the fields and eat them. If not they go in the farmhouse.

Of the 175 members most are from the Ministry of Agriculture. It was through this Ministry that the club was formed in this district. However, there are a few members from various other Government departments, and some residents from St. Annes.

For this strenuous work, old clothes are most suitable. Slacks, sweaters, old riding breeches, which have been discarded, sports coats and such like. There is no special uniform. Only one thing distinguishes members from ordinary civilians. That is the blue and gold metal badge which is issued to members throughout the country. It is fashioned like a shield and a sheaf of wheat surrounded by the words, " Voluntary Land Club," forms the design.