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club" was set up at Charlton House in November, 1956, and the
following year saw two more established, one at Kidbrooke House
and the other at West Greenwich House. These latter efforts
have proved to be one of the most valuable of all the schemes
introduced for the wellbeing of our old folk. From 1954, provision
and distribution of Christmas food parcels to the housebound
has been organised by the Association which also arranged
for the delivery of frozen Christmas dinners on Christmas Eve to
those elderly citizens known to be entirely alone at the festive
season with no one to cook for them. Twenty-one invalid wheelchairs
were purchased and are on free loan to handicapped elderly
persons thus enabling friends and relatives to take them out of
their homes during fine weather. Bed linen and draw sheets, etc.,
have been purchased and are held in store for issue on loan to
the homebound who are in difficulties. An S.O.S. scheme for
the elderly has been implemented and, recently, some thought
has been given to introducing a "good neighbour" service but,
due to the imminent amalgamation of the borough with Woolwich,
it was thought advisable to defer action.
Making possible the attendance of the elderly at carol services,
the organising of Christmas, garden and other parties, the staging
of concerts and handicraft exhibitions, the arranging for outings
and visits to film shows and circuses, etc., all these and other
features show the Association's concern for the aged. Moreover,
in instituting street appeals and house to house collections it
demonstrates its belief in self-help. All in all. the Greenwich Old
People's Welfare Association is as good an example as can be
found of what such an organisation ought to be.
The following list gives a summary of the various clubs and
services available to the elderly of Greenwich at the end of
1964:—