Vitrine Three: Early Children's Toys from the Vera Hayward Clinic

October 2013

Toy Collection courtesy of Jill Maslin, Vera Hayward Child Development Centre, Dunedin Hospital; Early rocking toy courtesy of Shirley Holdaway

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In many ways these toys serve to symbolise one end of the age range of individuals who seek treatment from physiotherapists. The toys date from the 1960s and are part of a collection which is permanently housed in the Vera Hayward Child Development Centre at Dunedin Hospital. Vera Hayward, the person after whom the clinic is named, was a strong political advocate for physiotherapy education in Dunedin in her role as a member on the Dunedin Hospital Board. Vera was also renowned for being a generous host for Sunday high teas to numerous physiotherapy students. Since its opening in 1974, the Vera Hayward Clinic has served children in Otago with disabilities and special needs and has maintained strong links with the School of Physiotherapy by providing paediatric clinical placements for students from the School.