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sincere thanks are due to all who gave their time at such a busy
period of the year towards bringing a touch of festive cheer into
the homes of so many of our homebound elderly persons.
In addition to the above, several donations were received with
a request that parcels be bought and distributed and, as a result,
approximately 50 additional homebound persons received parcels
of varying contents.
At this time of the year our thoughts turned to the elderly
persons who had nobody to provide for them on Christmas Day
and frozen Christmas dinners, consisting of chicken, vegetables and
Christmas pudding, were purchased and delivered to 24 such
persons. These dinners had merely to be heated for 20 minutes
before eating.
We also arranged for two elderly ladies, each of whom would
have been on her own over Christmas, to spend a week at the Edith
Priday Home.
Carol Service.—The Carol Service held at St. Alfege Church
on 12th December, proved very successful, over 100 elderly persons
being in attendance and our appreciation must be expressed to the
Church Authorities and also to the members of the Women's
Fellowship for their co-operation.
Foods for Old People.—Here again is an existing service which
has been extended to many more old persons within the Borough.
The receipts for sales of welfare foods up to 31st March, 1961,
amounted to £1,144 0s. 6d., being an increase over the previous
year of £255 8s. 11d. When it is realised that the welfare foods
are sold at a price ranging from between 2s. and 2s. 9d. per item,
it will be appreciated that this increasing turnover in stock involves
a great deal of work for the members of the Women's Voluntary
Service, by whom the main distribution is carried out and to whom
we are greatly indebted.
It is with real pleasure that we report a reduction in the price
of Bovril from 3/-d. to 2/9d. subsequent upon an increase in the
amount of discount allowed on supplies received from the 1st March,
1961, onwards.
To date twenty-eight welfare foods permits have been issued
on behalf of homebound elderly persons and every effort is being
made to extend this scheme as rapidly as possible.
House-to-House Collections and Street Appeal.—We reported
to you at the last Annual Meeting that the Worshipful the Mayor
had offered to make application on behalf of the Association to
hold a House-to-House Collection and Street Appeal in aid of the
Association's funds.