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Finally, use was made of the successful information booklet
series "Topic" (initiated by the Service in 1967) for the issue of
a special campaign edition on Mental Health. Information in
compact form for the use of community leaders was enclosed
and sent to local newspapers, schools, hospitals, religious leaders,
and general practitioners.
(b) R.A.C.S. Sports and Fete Day
The Department was invited to exhibit at the Sports and Fete
Day of the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society and a marquee
was provided for the purpose.
Displays provided by the Service were highly successful and
500 people visited the marquee in the first two hours of the fete.
Unfortunately the weather switched rapidly from sunshine to
storm conditions and the rest of the "day" was washed out.
However, the organisers were delighted with the exhibition
and promised to reserve a larger marquee for 1969.
(c) The Greenwich Show
The highlight of the Council's publicity year is the Greenwich
Show, at which departments of the Council are invited to include
exhibits. This Service mounted a large self-contained "walk—
through" exhibition incorporating many public participation
features. Again, however, the weekend of the "Show" co-incided
with freak rains and flooding in the south-east of England and
another wash-out was recorded.
(d) Help the Disabled Week
In support of the national campaign of the Society for the
Disabled, local activities were arranged. With the assistance
of the Society's travelling exhibition and their occupational
therapist, a central exhibition of aids for the Disabled was staged
and open days were arranged at Centres for the Handicapped.
A non-denominational service was organised for the disabled at
a local church.
School Health Education Service
The innovation of the School Health Education Service referred
to in my 1967 Report met with fair response from schools. Some
requested additional information but did not follow up. Others
gave limited response to the offer, while a number of the more
progressive schools gave the scheme a good measure of support.
Although the response was somewhat less than hoped for it
was appreciated that the scheme was, so-to-speak, on trial. The
Service was content to let actions speak louder than words and in
any case a flood of interest might well have swamped resources.