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as soon as a wheelchair becomes available. Persons who are in
permanent need of an outdoor wheelchair may be provided with
one by the Ministry of Health on the recommendation of a
Hospital Consultant.
Holidays
Summer holidays are arranged for all categories of handicapped
persons, either directly or in conjunction with voluntary organisations
or by assisting with holidays privately arranged by the
persons concerned.
During the year 394 applications were received of which 111
were subsequently withdrawn or cancelled. Eventually 279 holiday
places were allocated thus showing an increase of 18 over the
previous year's figure. Of these, 136 together with 20 fit spouses
were accommodated at the Little Oyster Holiday Centre, Minster,
Isle of Sheppey, where two periods, each of a fortnight, were
booked by the Borough.
During the holidays at this Centre, attention to the personal care
of the handicapped persons was provided by 20 voluntary helpers
including "Task Force", the British Red Cross Society, the
Directorate's own staff and private individuals. Daily entertainment
was arranged by the Holiday Centre staff and this included outings
to various parts of Kent including Aylesford Priory, Canterbury,
Herne Bay and the hop gardens.
One of the Department's tail-lift coaches was available throughout
the holiday, and this proved of immense value in ensuring that
the more severely handicapped were enabled to participate in most
of the activities.
Christmas and New Year Parties
A total of 387 persons attended at Christmas and New Year
Parties arranged by the Directorate. Of the ten parties held,
two were at Sherard Hall, Court Road, Eltham, for the blind,
partially sighted and deaf, four at Ormiston Road Centre for their
physically handicapped members and four at Maze Hill Training
Centre for homebound handicapped persons.
Christmas Shopping Expedition
Many handicapped people are virtually homebound. Many
others have extreme difficulty in shopping, particularly at times of
the year when the pavements and shops are exceptionally crowded.
Therefore, as in previous years, to enable these persons to shop
in comparative comfort a Christmas shopping expedition to central