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Voluntary Associations
£.
s.
d.
National Association of Alms Houses
5.
0.
0.
Cecil Homes
470.
0.
0.
London Free Church Federal Council
75.
0.
0.
Servite Houses (Hearth & Home Ltd.)
200.
0.
0.
Task Force (1964) Ltd.
3,350.
0.
0.
Voluntary Hostels Conference
250.
0.
0.
St. Joseph's Alms Houses
100.
0.
0.
The Kensington Day Centre Ltd.
6,780.
0.
0.
Kensington and Chelsea Old People's
Welfare Committee
3,450.
0.
0.
International Voluntary Service
50.
0.
0.
The Irish Centre
100.
0.
0.
Rowe Housing Trust
300.
0.
0.
In addition, the Kensington and Chelsea Old People's Welfare
Committee made the following grants from its funds:-
£.
s.
d.
Women's Institute
14.
10.
0.
St. Mary Abbots Club
40.
0.
0.
Chelsea Old People's Luncheon Club
11.
2.
8.
Notting Hill Adventure Playground
15.
0.
0.
Task Force
20.
0.
0.
Leisure Club for Disabled
25.
0.
0.
West London Angling Club
5.
0.
0.
Chelsea Housing Improvement Society
15.
0.
0.
National Old People's Welfare Council
5.
0.
0.
Greater London Conference on Old
People's Welfare
5.
5.
0.
WELFARE OF THE BLIND
The statutory definition for the purpose of registration as a
blind person under the National Assistance Act, 1948, is that the
person is "so blind as to be unable to perform any work for which
eyesight is essential."
The number of persons newly registered as blind during 1968 was
62, fifteen being men and forty-seven women. Table I shows the
distribution in age groups of the 418 registered blind persons
ordinarily resident in the Borough. The majority of new registrations are in the age groups of sixty-five and over, which is consistent
with figures produced for national statistics.
The analysis of causes of blindness in newly registered persons
is shown in Table II.
An analysis of the register showing the education, training and
employment position is given in Tables III and IV.
It will be seen that a total of 301 persons are over sixty-five
years of age, leaving a total of 114 adults, of whom 45 are either not
available for, or not capable of, work.
At the Council's Rehabilitation Centre, Gertrude Street, a social
club for the blind is held every Tuesday. A social welfare officer,
who is a qualified home teacher, organises the club which has 18
members. Games equipment is provided and other activities included
a Christmas party and an outing.
Close liaison is maintained with voluntary organisations; viz.
the Royal National Institute for the Blind; the London Association
for the Blind; the Southern Regional Association for the Blind;
St. Dunstan's and the National Library for the Blind. Referrals for
employment and training are made to the Disablement Resettlement
Officer of the Department of Employment and Productivity, with whom
consultation is arranged in cases of special difficulty.
The number of home visits made to blind persons during the year
was 1,432 (1,646).