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Dinner services, therefore, have been instituted through voluntary
associations throughout the Borough. A grant is given to the
associations by the Council to cover their expenses and further
grants are made by the London County Council and Finsbury Old
People's Welfare Committee, to enable the meals to be supplied at
a cost of elevenpence per head to the elderly. During 1961 20,680
meals were served from Meal Centres as against 20,062 in 1960.
The following centres were in operation for 3 to 5 days weekly
throughout the year:
(i) Women's Voluntary Service, 68 Exmouth Market, E.C.1.
(ii) Field Lane Community Centre, Cubitt St, E C.1. in connection
with Field Lane Institution, 16 Vine Hill, E C 1.
(iii) Claremont Central Mission, White Lion Street, N. 1.
(iv) Finsbury Mission, Moreland Street, E.C.1.
(ii) Mobile Meals: Aged persons unable, by reason of sickness
and infirmity to attend one of the meal centres, have been supplied
with a hot meal delivered to their home by the "Invalid Meals of
London". Until 1958 this voluntary organisation operated in
close association with the Borough Council, and a substantial
grant was made to them, Since then they have operated independently.
Their main object is to supply invalid meals to the sick
rather than normal meals to those who merely, on account of
physical infirmity, are unable to go out. Nevertheless many
meals have been supplied to such persons. The service is however
restricted.
Towards the end of 1960 the Finsbury Old People's Welfare
Committee decided to undertake experimentally on a small scale,
the delivery of frozen whole meals which only required to be
heated in the impervious envelope in which they were delivered,
by placing it in boiling water in a saucepan for 15 minutes. The
idea was that this service might be valuable for those not within
the purview of the "Invalid Meals of London", but yet were unable
to attend a centre or to cater adequately for themselves.
During 1961, 4,941 such meals were served to elderly persons
unable to attend a meal centre. The cost to the elderly was one
shilling per meal.
(c) Nutritional Supplements (F.O.P.W.C.)
The arrangements continued with Messrs Wander Ltd., Messrs
Bovril Ltd., and Messrs Marmite Food Extract Co.Ltd., whereby
"Ovaltine", "Hospital Extract Bovril", "Marmite" and "Jaffa Juice"
are supplied to the various organisations represented on the
Committee for resale to the aged attending their clubs at a price
considerably less than the normal retail price. These Nutritional
Supplements have proved very popular with the aged and considerable
quantities have been sold to them.
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