View report page

167
Old People's Clubs—To assist newly established clubs to equip
themselves, it is the policy of the Welfare Committee initially to
make a grant of £10 and to continue this support on an annual basis
in order that clubs may be enabled to expand and improve their
recreational facilities. During the current year, 4 initial and 47
annual grants of £10 were so made.
Old People's Clubs in the Borough, almost all of which regularly
meet on a weekly basis, arrange their own programmes, annual
outings, Christmas festivities, etc. Although the majority of their
members are active, clubs are catering increasingly for the more
isolated old person but, so far, it has not been possible for the
department to provide special transport to assist the older, less
active members to attend club meetings.
Holiday Hotel—To meet an ever increasing demand by elderly
residents for holidays, the Council operates its own hotel for the
exclusive use of Greenwich residents at Westgate-on-Sea.
The present hotel, which is managed by a Resident Superintendent
and Assistant with appropriate staff, is an annexation of the
previous Greenwich and Sea Grange Hotels and it caters for almost
2,000 guests annually.
Existing accommodation at the combined hotels includes a
kitchen serving the whole establishment, several lounges with sea
views, a bar lounge and three dining rooms all on the ground floor.
Inclement weather is countered by enclosed balconies and there are
ample facilities for indoor entertainment and pastimes, including
television and radio.
It is the Council's intention to provide a cheerful holiday and
recreational facilities for guests and, although the holiday-makers are
generally expected to be active, provision is made for frail and
handicapped old persons to be accommodated on the ground floor.
These excellent holidays provided by the Council for retirement
pensioners resident in the Borough, i.e. men aged 65 years and over
and women of 60 years or more and not in full time employment,
are comparable with the best. Holidays commence on Friday and
bookings are for a fortnight. Parties are conveyed by escorted
coaches from various 'picking-up' points in the Borough to and
from Westgate. Less active guests are further transported by minibus
to and from their own homes and the 'picking-up' points.
Every fortnight, during the period from May to September,
eight of our elderly citizens, who for medical reasons require ground
floor accommodation, go to the Greenwich Hotel. Each case, which
is submitted to very careful consideration, is visited to ensure that
the term 'holiday hotel' (not convalescent home) is preserved.
The new combined hotel remains open to enable 'out of season'
holidays to be taken. Charges are very reasonable and, when