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(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.l.
(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 are 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 1962 6,886 such meals were served to elderly persons unable
to attend a meal centre, as against 4,941 meals in 1961. 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., Bovril Ltd.,
Marmite Food Extract Co., Ltd., Glaxo Ltd., and Horlicks Ltd., whereby
'Ovaltine', 'Hospital Extract Bovril', Marmite', 'Jaffa Juice', 'Complan'
and 'Horlicks' 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.
(d) Sheltered Employment:
The scheme inaugurated as an experiment, in 1951, to provide
sheltered employment for those of the elderly, who are unable to continue
in normal employment and yet are able to undertake suitable light work
for 2 hours daily, has continued to play an important role in the provisions
made for this group of the community. It is administered by a
special voluntary organisation known as the Finsbury Employment Scheme
for the Elderly, and has received generous support from the Council.
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