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Social Activities
There are 24 Social Clubs for the elderly in the Royal Borough,
The main object of the clubs is to provide facilities where the elderly
of both sexes can meet in a friendly and congenial atmosphere, Concerts,
outings and other social activities are also arranged by the Club
organisers. In addition four Health Centres organise clubs for the
over 50's with emphasis on health, diets and home safety. A small
subscription which generally provides for a cup of tea and biscuits
is collected weekly and any balance is directed towards the cost of
outings and a Christmas Party, Clubs hold a weekly raffle and other
games for which a small charge is made; any profits help to offset
club expenses.
Old Time Dancing and Arts and Crafts classes continue to be
held at the Chelsea and North Kensington Community Centres,
The Christmas parcel which has for so long been a feature of the
elderly persons Christmas was this year substituted, as an experiment,
by a gift voucher. United Dairies Ltd., Express Dairies Ltd,, and the
London Co-operative Society agreed to accept these vouchers in exchange
for goods or milk to the value of 10/-, A total of 2,100 vouchers each
with a Christmas card were delivered by hand by volunteers. Some 396
parcels and gifts were delivered to selected needy persons by various
voluntary organisations and individuals.
Arrangements were made with the management of a local store for
late night Christmas Shopping facilities. The store remained open
until 8.30 p.m. and approximately 300 people with 50 volunteers (escorts,
chair pushers and car drivers) from this and adjoining boroughs took
advantage of the opportunity to shop in comfort. This facility was
greatly appreciated,
Christmas dinners were arranged for the elderly lonely by a local
publican, a school and the North Kensington Community Centre, Several
organisations and individuals also invited 153 people to dinner on
Christmas Day,
Instead of the usual concerts for the elderly at Kensington and
Chelsea Town Halls, a block booking for 1,000 elderly persons has been
made for the Ice Show "Jack and the Beanstalk" at Wembley on the 13th
January, 1971. Although the cost will exceed the amount expended on
the concerts, it is felt that the extra will be well spent if it attracts
and satisfies the increased number of persons catered for. Coaches
have been booked and will leave from six assembly points.
A party of 300 elderly people were taken on a day's outing to
Bognor; cost of this venture was met by funds raised by the Caius
Boxing Club at a tournament held in the Chelsea Old Town Hall,
Other Voluntary Services
During the year some 225 unattached voluntary visitors have been
visiting regularly one elderly person each.
The very active Good Neighbour schemes have expanded to cover
most of the Borough, Over 277 voluntary visitors from churches in the
Borough of all denominations, as well as individuals, are providing a
very valuable contribution to this work. Both individual volunteers
and volunteers attached to the Good Neighbours schemes have shown an
increase during the past year and there is reason to believe that an
even larger number of volunteers will be forthcoming in the future.