Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1237083
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 APRIL 2020 9 CULTURE ONE can look at old pictures with simple nostalgia. Yet to the keen observer, aged images act as a portal to bygone mo- ments which are rich with hid- den details. From this week, Heritage Malta will be sharing a selec- tion of images that form part of a collection of about 350 photo negatives which were donated last year by Dr Peter J. Shield PhD, ARP to form part of the National Collection. These photos were shot by him in Malta during the late 1950s. Dr Shield is an award-win- ning photographer, retired ar- chaeologist, broadcaster and author. Among his various assign- ments, he worked for Asso- ciated Press, for the Maltese Government Information De- partment and for the Times of Malta under Mabel Strickland. Heritage Malta has digitised these photos in order to reach a more extensive public. Besides being interesting for their subject matter, these pho- tos may contain material which has not yet been studied and could therefore be of particular value to researchers. The public is being encour- aged to assist in the identifi- cation of locations, buildings, events and individuals showing in the photos by leaving their comments on any of the images showing on this page: https:// heritagemalta.org/pjsc/. Anyone wishing to share or donate historical photos and personal narratives to help pre- serve the story of our nation is advised to contact Heritage Malta on russell.muscat@gov. mt An appeal to identify historical photos THE Food Aid Project of the Malta Trust Foundation has re- ceived close to 2,000 requests for help in just three weeks as the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic fur- ther destabilises the vulnerable and poor in society. This project was swiftly set up when the coronavirus hit Mal- ta, and it has been supporting NGOs struggling to keep up as well as taking in referrals from the Foodbank Lifeline Founda- tion, which was unable to take on new cases. Malta Trust Foundation chair Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, and Anne McKenna, who has volunteered in this sector for five years, said they were wit- nessing an avalanche of re- quests from desperate people who have suddenly found them- selves without a job, unable to cope and hungry. McKenna said the situation wss harrowing for all the team to receive desperate calls for help. "The other day I got a call from a mother telling me, 'I have three children and nothing to cook for them; please, please help me'," she said. "There are so many people who need food. From families living hand to mouth and have suddenly found themselves without an income; to substance abuse outpatients who are sleep- ing rough; fathers unable to pay their child's maintenance; single mothers; and those facing high rents and possible eviction." The Malta Trust Foundation is also collaborating with NGOs — such as Caritas, the Millenni- um Chapel, Little Sisters of the Poor, Richmond Foundation, St Jeanne Antide and Gozo's Foundation for Social Welfare, among others — to provide food supplies as their resources are overstretched as they strug- gle to help the increasing num- ber of people coming forward. Coleiro Preca said: "We are only able to help all these peo- ple thanks to the generosity and big hearts of the numerous businesses who have come for- ward offering to donate sup- plies, monetary funds and gro- ceries. We hope many more will provide support so that we can continue providing these peo- ple with a temporary lifeline to get back on their feet." The team behind the Malta Trust Foundation is working hard to coordinate the spike in demand for food and putting emergency packs of food for those in need. Those wishing to help to Food Aid Project of the Malta Trust Foundation can call on 2148 4662. Meanwhile, those wishing to donate money enabling the Foundation to purchase emer- gency groceries can call on 5140 2002 to donate €2; 5150 2094 for €5; 5160 2015 for €10; or send an SMS to 5061 8810 to donate €6.99. For food donations call the emergency number: 2149 1550 Food Aid Project receives 2,000 aid requests in just three weeks Members of the team of the Food Aid Project preparing emergency food packs to distribute to those in need