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Headlines 17 Like many of the early volunteers, Thelma did not have any ties to healthcare or neurology. She simply believed in the profound vision of the Foundation to help those living with neurological disease through research, and knew her clerical skills would help to achieve this aim. Thelma was a teacher who taught secretarial subjects in schools and received an MBE for her services to education. In her memoir, Thelma pays tribute to the ‘personalities’ during her time, from the ladies who made tea to the initial executive directors. “Professor Val Chapman, Doctor Philip Wrightson, John Seabrook, Len Hart and Peter Shaw worked marvels in obtaining the first funds in spite of the scepticism from the medical fraternity,” she recalls. “Syd Tye’s (executive director 1980 to 1989) past experience and service in local body and in church affairs was a real asset to the Foundation. “But the Foundation would not have developed as it has without the work of the early women volunteers. Ideas and plans are fine, but someone has to do the actual housekeeping.” Scepticism of the Foundation’s lofty aims was overcome when the first million dollars was reached – a cause of great celebration. “I remember our excitement when we reached our first million dollars. We were always aware of our responsibility to our givers, many of whom were elderly superannuants. Over the years I received many letters from such folk and never forgot how important a donation of five dollars was to them. “It is easy in these later days when the million-dollar capital is taken for granted to forget that in the beginning, we were very conscious of our pennies.” While there have been dozens who have generously given their time to the Foundation, Thelma fondly remembers the ladies’ division volunteers: Maisie Green, Elna Hooker, Sandra Bell, Betty Gladding and Nora Aiken. Many of the other helpers had family members with neurological illness, while others were friends or family of the division. The early volunteers walked the streets placing pamphlets into letterboxes, and on several occasions sold cakes and other items such as handmade pieces of needlework from a caravan at a shopping centre. Thelma took charge of the equally important administrative duties that are fundamental to an effective charity, and compiled a card index of supporters and stakeholders that contained 6000 names by the time she retired. “I have happy memories of some of the donors – one, a very old lady who looked as though she was destitute, who came in for some years to hand us her $50 contribution. Another donor was a merchant seaman, a patient of Dr Wrightson, who sent us the first $100 note we had seen!” Peter Shaw, a former accountant (now retired), ran the Hamilton committee. He fondly remembers Thelma as one of many dedicated early supporters of the Foundation. “There were several committees and many men and women across the country that assisted with raising funds for the foundation. We had committees in Waikato, Wellington and Dunedin as well as Auckland. We found it important to get support organisations involved – the Epilepsy and the MS Foundations, and others. “There are huge numbers of people in the community affected by neurological disease, or looking after and tending to people, and we really struck a chord,” Peter says. “It was not only about fundraising to find cures and to relieve suffering, but to build the infrastructure of neurology research in New Zealand. It wouldn’t exist today if it wasn’t for what we did.” Thelma Clough may not be remembered as a distinguished neurologist or founding member of the Foundation, but her importance in ensuring the smooth running of the charity through its fundamental years of growth cannot be underestimated. As the Foundationmarks its 52nd anniversary this year, we are deeply thankful for those who donated their skills and time to establish one of the most important and well-known charities that exists in NewZealand today. A look back at the invaluable work of our early volunteers “I remember our excitement when we reached our first million dollars. We were always aware of our responsibility to our givers...”