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serve meals or prepare tea during the afternoon, and it is evident that
they appreciate the fact that good quality plates, cruets, cutlery, etc.,
do much to enhance the enjoyment of a meal. In fact they are so
anxious to help that some tact is needed when, at times, the number
of willing helpers has, of necessity, to be reduced.
Now that the Club has entered its second year, it is gratifying
to note that enrolled membership has now risen to 350 and the
average weekly attendance to 331. The number of meals provided
daily has averaged 50 and the method of bulk supply, which was
introduced as an experiment early in the year, has proved successful
and enables individual tastes to be catered for to a greater degree
than was previously possible.
The Club's Anniversary on 15th May 1959 was celebrated with
free refreshments and was also marked by the first Annual General
Meeting, which was held during the afternoon, the Workrooms being
closed early to afford everyone the opportunity to attend. Nearly
100 members were present; a committee was elected from amongst
Club members and officers of the Council which has since proved a
very successful step, for it is evident that the old people serving on
the Committee do appreciate the fact that they have been given a
certain amount of responsibility. A constitution was drawn up
setting out the aims of the Club, which, in short, are "to promote
and assist the general good of the members and to apply all monies
received in furthering these objects", and it is worthy of note, as an
indication of the extent to which these aims had already been achieved
in the previous year, that not one complaint was received from a
member in response to a request to them to make any complaints
and put forward any recommendations for improvements.
With regard to suggestions, however, many constructive ideas
were put forward which, wherever possible have been acted upon.
Further, the weekly programme of activities has been amended and
supplemented in the light of the experience gained over the past year.
It is worth noting a few of the suggestions which were received
from members and which are now established and popular features
of the Club's programme:
Old Time Dancing Classes were commenced and have proved a
source of great enjoyment to the old people. The numbers attending
these classes reflect the enthusiasm with which they are received and,
in fact, arrangements are in hand for an extension of the sessions at
present allocated.
Weekly whist drives were commenced, initially for a trial period
until the reaction of members was ascertained, and have since grown
in popularity to the extent that two further tables have been added
to those originally operating. Several of the old people are quite
expert players and they have coached the novices so that a uniformly