Landwirt­schafts­verlag Münster supports children's and youth hospice in Haltern and the “Stop Violence Against Women” project with €2,500 each.

This year, Landwirtschaftsverlag Münster is supporting the outpatient children's and youth hospice service Südliches Münsterland in Haltern am See and the project “Stop Violence Against Women” which is backed by the Inner Wheel Club Münster-Prinzipal, an international women's organization, among others, with its traditional Christmas donation. “With our donation, we are helping families and their children with life-shortening illnesses, as well as women who have experienced violence and need support,” emphasized managing directors Dr. Ludger Schulze Pals and Malte Schwerdtfeger when they presented the donations to Yvonne Steinbuß, Southern Münsterland Children's and Youth Hospice Service, and Dr. Ulrike Weßling, past president of Inner Wheel Münster-Prinzipal, on December 18 at Landwirtschaftsverlag. Both projects will receive €2,500 in funding.

The Southern Münsterland outpatient hospice service for children and young people in Haltern am See currently supports 22 families with children suffering from life-shortening illnesses with its 37 volunteers. The association is one of more than 30 outpatient hospice services for children and young people nationwide that are organized under the German Hospice Association in Olpe (DKHV). The umbrella organization, founded in 1990 as a self-help institution, cares for and supports affected families in their home environment and also represents their interests in society and politics.

The volunteers visit the sick children or their siblings at least once a week for two to four hours in their families' homes, so that the parents can take a little time off during this period. “We give our time and accompany them, sometimes for years, and we also support the families affected beyond death. In this way, we not only help the sick children and young people, but also their parents and siblings,” says Yvonne Steinbuß, describing the work of the volunteers, who include Petra Feldmann, an employee of Landwirtschaftsverlag.

“Stop Violence Against Women” campaign raises awareness and sensitizes the public

Every year from November 25 to December 10, the United Nations runs its “Orange the World” campaign worldwide. The aim is to raise awareness in society of the issue of violence against women and to condemn all forms of physical, sexual, psychological, digital, or economic violence against women. To draw attention to the campaign, bread bags with the slogan “Violence doesn't belong in the bag” are available during this period. One of the organizations behind the project is the Inner Wheel Club Münster-Prinzipal, an international women's organization. Each bread bag, which Inner Wheel Münster-Prinzipal provides free of charge to participating bakeries and canteens, also features the telephone number 116 016, which women affected by violence can call to report incidents and find help.

The project was accompanied by other activities. In the city of Münster, for example, there were information stands illustrating the topic of “violence against women.” A flash mob raised awareness of the “silent one-hand gesture,” the international sign for help in cases of violence. “In Münster-Hiltrup, the ”everyday people” (sculptures) along Marktallee and the fountain figures at St. Clemens Church were dressed in orange scarves and orange aprons during the Orange Days. And there was an art installation in the canteen of the Landwirtschaftsverlag publishing house that impressively described the topic of “violence against women,” says Dr. Ulrike Weßling, presenting the activities in Hiltrup.

“We have been doing without expensive Christmas gifts for our customers for years. We can do more important things with the money. Both organizations we are supporting this year rely on donations and subsidies. We are happy to help because we know that our money is well spent there,” say Schulze Pals and Schwerdtfeger happily.