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St. Anne's, Thorburn Square, S.E.1.}
Leader : Mrs. L. M. Turner.} Thursday, 2.30-4 p.m.
St. Crispin's, Cathay Street, S.E.16.}
Leader : Rev. L.J. Bliss.} Wednesday, 2.30-4 p.m.
Other old people's clubs affiliated to the Welfare Council are:
Bermondsey Central Hall, S.E.1. Tuesday.
Bermondsey Medical Mission, Grange
Road, S.E.I. Monday and Friday.
Bermondsey Settlement, Farncombe }
Street, S.E.16.} Thursday.
St. George's Hall, Old Kent Road, TO}
S.E.1. Wednesday.
The closer co-operation with the Borough Council has, indeed,
been justified during the past year, and the relationship between the
various voluntary organisations and the Council has been cordial.
Mutual assistance has been ready and friendly, and in the future much
can be done to improve the lot of old people living in this Borough.
Meals Service
At the beginning of February, 1953, the delivery of meals which
had previously been undertaken by volunteers of the Bermondsey and
Rotherhithe Council for the Welfare of Old People was taken over
by the Department.
The service hitherto provided by the voluntary workers comprised
two deliveries per week to an average of 12 old people, and with the
limited equipment at their disposal the service was, to quote themselves,
far from satisfactory, their main difficulty being the keeping of food
warm until the last meal was delivered.
It was felt that if the Borough Council supplied services in lieu
of the monetary grants previously made to the Council for the Welfare
of Old People, this would be more beneficial to the old people and,
by using existing facilities, provide more service at less cost.
At the last audit the District Auditor queried whether the provision of services and the debiting of the cost to a voluntary organisation
could be, under Section 31, National Assistance Act 1948, a " contribution
to the funds of any voluntary organisation." The Ministry
of Housing and Local Government have sanctioned the expenditure
for the year under audit and for the year ending 31st March, 1954.
The Ministry have under consideration the question of the continuance
of the scheme by this method of costing.
A number of surplus United States Army food containers, specially
insulated for heat retention, were purchased and it was found that
if the food was dished up immediately it was cooked, on to really hot
plates and placed in the containers which had already been heated
with boiling water, the food retained its heat for quite a long time.
On enquiry it was found that most old people required meals on
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday only, as their meat ration
was enough for the weekend with invariably a little left over for Monday.