[A] special afternoon at Appleby Sands Methodist Church with a talk by Ruby Brass – one of the original Land Girls of WW2 in Cumbria and Sarah Parkin, sharing her experiences of living in Hilton near Appleby during the war, has raised £340 for a charity caring for displaced families in Syria.
Around 70 people gathered last Sunday afternoon to enjoy homemade refreshments in an informal setting at the church before Ruby and Sarah gave their presentation.
Recounting her journey from native Bradford to Embleton near Cockermouth via now closed railway lines, Ruby made everyone smile as she remembered her host farmer greeting her with the words “Well – thou’s a la’al one then!” due to her height. Despite the hardships of working hard in unfamiliar surroundings Ruby clearly enjoyed her time as a land girl and her many stories were brilliant to hear.
Sarah worked in the local shop in Appleby during the war and was able to explain how ration tokens worked and how food supplies were limited. Healthcare was very different to today and she told a very amusing story about having her tonsils removed at the Red House, Appleby with very simple equipment, before being sent home the same day in Hilton’s only car.
Wendy Walker, who coordinated the afternoon, supported by a brilliant team of helpers commented “We were delighted with the response and Ruby and Sarah provided a really enjoyable focus for the afternoon. We had people coming to hear them from all over the Eden Valley and the Samara Aid charity will use the £340 raised to directly help those who are struggling on a daily basis in Syria.”
