Description

A collection box for money in the shape of a young girl known as Wendy. Wendy is holding a box in her hand which has a coin slot at the top of the box. The box says 'Help the Spastic. Thank You!!'. There is a black cat at her feet which also has a slot for money on it's head. Wendy has short black hair and is wearing a red dress with a white collar. Her leg is bandaged and in a leg brace.

These collection boxes were introduced by the National Spastic Society, now called Scope, in the 1950s. The charity supported people living with cerebral palsy. The charity created a family of collection boxes to encourage the public to donate with the idea that people would pity the children. The use of the word spastic by the charity in the 1950s referred to the tightness of the muscles in those who had cerebral palsy, caused by prolonged muscle contraction.
The use of the boxes was seen as patronising and insulting to those living with cerebral palsy. This impact led to the removal of the boxes from 1979. The use of the word spastic fell out of use as it became a cruel playground insult. In 1994, the charity changed its name to Scope.

- Claudia Davies, Curating for Change Fellow at Black Country Living Museum