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Another P.R.A. facility widely used by those in the Borough recovering from mental illness is
the Evening Centre now held in Earlsmead Primary School. Between 25 and 30 members attend
weekly, and the activities vary from Discussions ana films to talks from outside speakers or visits
to places of interest.
Living accommodation for the mentally ill needs more attention, but a start has been made in the
Borough by the P.R.A. Community Housing Association, who purchased and furnished a house in
Tottenham during the year, and where six people with a long history of mental illness are living
together as a family, sharing the responsibility and expenses of the Group Home. Another group of
ex-patients have taken a flat in Wood Green with help from the Association, and are sharing the
running of it on a co-operative basis. The stimulus of having his own home stimulated one man to
take up full employment after a period of some years not working. Three Haringey residents lived at
Nicholas House, P.R.A.'s Residential Centre, on their discharge from hospital until they were able to
move on to accommodation of their own.
Seven members of the Day Centre joined the P.R.A. Group Holiday, which was spent at St.
Leonaras-on-Sea, saving up for, ana paying, their own expenses. The change of activity and
environment proved a stimulus and accelerated the rehabilitation process.
For those living on their own, the Sunday Lunch Club is available, meeting in a Church Hall in
Dalston, and is attended by Haringey residents from time to time.
The closest possible liaison is maintained with the Cental Welfare Department who visit the Day
Centre daily. Referrals are accepted direct from the Department, and any difficulties connected with
members are discussed without delay. Links with Claybury Hospital are equally efficient. This
cohesion with hospital and local authority prevents overlapping of services, or manipulation by
patients, and is helpful to the patients in that the advice they receive is not contradictory."
Conclusion
This has been a year of great promise in the mental health field. We were, in 1965, one of only
two London Boroughs that had no mental health facilities whatsoever. This, of course, was a mixed
blessing. It was necessary for us to start from scratch and to build and provide our own facilities.
We can take pride of achievement in the facilities that we now have. Although we have opened three
new facilities during the year there is still much work to be done in this very important field, and
this Authority, I feel confident, will go forward with new endeavours.