The Children’s Haven

The Together Trust has a a series of books in its archive designed to promote the workings of the charity to the Manchester and Salford community. Originally seen in a section of a magazine written by the charity as an offshoot to its committee's Christian missionary interests, known as The Christian Worker, it expanded into a magazine wholly dedicated to the charity from 1895 when it became The Children’s Haven. The latter aimed to disseminate news of the charity, encourage donations and advertise events and meetings to the public. 

Children’s page from The Christian Worker

The monthly magazines contained a range of information, which today gives a detailed picture of the various events and goings-on of the charity. Regular features include ‘The Little Ones’ page shown above, which told stories of children in the area who raised money for their less fortunate counterparts. 

“Frank and Maria send you some scarves for the boys that they may be warm this cold winter, they bought the wool with their pennies, and Maria knit them. It is their first attempt to help those poorer than themselves.”

Motto, 1898

Other features included the Officer’s Report which highlighted the various cases who had been admitted into the Refuge that month.

"Some 6 months ago, Mary, then thirteen, and who had been in and out of the workhouse, and in common lodging houses, some years with an idle, worthless father, the mother being dead, was handed over by him to a man and woman who kept an improper house. When the case became known to us, we took immediate steps to have her removed from these terrible surroundings; the father signed an agreement and the lodging house keepers were committed to prison for two months. Mary is a bright girl and we are full of hope for her future."

How to help the work

The main aim of the magazine of course was to generate support for the charity and encourage donations. Adverts suggesting how readers could support the work filtered through the pages alongside notifications for events and sales of work. It was a useful method of promoting the charity to the masses in an affordable way.