Souper lunch a fundraising success for Noosa Arts and Crafts

Ceramicists cook up a storm and fill their hand-made bowls

SUCCESS: Gabi Dick and Irene Rogers at the fundraising lunch. Picture: Michele Sternberg

HOT soup on a cold day, nothing beats it and it was a very successful fundraising idea for the ceramicists of Noosa Arts and Crafts.

The group raised enough money to meet the shortfall required to have their new gas kiln certified, a cost that was in the thousands.

Guest speaker was nurse and medical historian Irene Rogers, who has been researching a group of 21 Australian nurses affectionately known as the Bluebirds for her PhD research.

"The Bluebirds became the only group of trained and registered nurses sent by the Australian Red Cross to the front line during the First World War,” Ms Rogers said.

"They were sent as 'a gift for France' to work for the French Army.

"We often forget that the French suffered terribly during the war, over 1.4million soldiers and 340,000 civilians died.

"On average, 900 French soldiers died every day.

"The Bluebirds developed a deep and lasting affection for what they referred to as 'our brave poilus' which is a nickname similar to our use of 'digger'.”

Ms Rogers is turning her research into a book which she announced would be officially launched at Noosa Arts and Crafts later this year.

Originally published as Souper lunch a fundraising success for Noosa Arts and Crafts