MP for North East Hertfordshire, Sir Oliver Heald, is calling for any recipients of CARE packages in the aftermath of the Second World War to contact CARE International.
Through the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe, Americans could pay $10 to send a ‘CARE package’ to someone in war-torn Europe. Tens of thousands of Britons received these packages containing urgently needed food supplies such as corned beef, tinned fruit, lard, sugar, and milk powder, in an early example of international aid.
CARE International, now one of the world’s leading aid agencies, is calling for recipients of the packages to come forward to have their stories retold in a “CARE Then and Now” exhibition in October.
Commenting, Sir Oliver said, “The CARE packages were one of the first examples of international aid. In the 70 years since the end of the War, the UK has gone from being a receiver of aid to being the first developed nation to reach the 0.7% of GDP target set by the United Nations. This exhibition will demonstrate how aid and development have changed over the last 70 years, and how the UK can be proud of her role in that. I hope that any recipients in the constituency will make themselves known to the organisers.”