View report page

families. One member of staff qualified during the year for a Diploma in the Montessori Method of
Education.
The trainees continued to do a certain amount of industrial work for local firms, including
sewing gas mantles and stuffing soft toys, and for a few months made up cardboard boxes for
cheeses. The girls undertook the hand laundry for their own and two other training centres.
An outing by coach to Worthing was arranged in the Summer and 6 of the more handicapped
girls, who did not qualify for the training centres' holiday, were taken on a weekend caravan
holiday by the Supervisor and her Assistant. The caravan and transport were kindly made available
by the Camden Parents' Association. A Christmas party was held to which parents and friends
were invited, and gifts of money were made by the Hammersmith and North London Branches of the
National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children.
Visits were made to the Centre by groups of student nurses and trainee health visitors.
Training Centres' Organised Holiday
Officers of the Council's Personal Health Service arranged the annual holiday for trainees
from the Inner London area at St. Mary's Bay Holiday Camp, Dymchurch, from 28 April to 12 May,
1967.
189 trainees, including 24 Hammersmith residents, were in the party led by Mr. Potter,
Supervisor of North Kensington Training Centre, assisted by Mrs. Lee, Supervisor of College
Park Training Centre. 24 members of staff went from various training centres throughout London.
This year we were without the services of students taking the Diploma Course for Teachers of
Backward Children at Chiswick Polytechnic and had to enlist the help of a retired member of
staff to reach the required ratio of staff to trainees.
The weather was rather mixed, starting off with cool showery weather, but improved considerably during the second week so that the trainees were able to spend a lot of time on the
beach, Several outings were arranged during the fortnight, including trips to Hythe, New Romney,
and Dungeness on the miniature railway, and to Rye and Dover by coach.
Day Centre
During the year, admission to the Council's 25-place day centre for the rehabilitation of
the mentally ill built up gradually and by 31 December, 1967,there were 27 patients on the register
The average daily attendance was 13.
Each day commenced with a group discussion followed by handcrafts, play reading,and
other social activities. We were fortunate in obtaining the services of an art therapist for 2 sessions a week.
A Mental Health Social Worker attended the centre for l'/j days a week for consultations
with patients and staff.
Social Clubs
A weekly social club was held for patients attending Emlyn Gardens Day Centre and was
well supported by the patients and residents from the adjacent housing estate. Outings were
arranged to hear Billy Graham at Wembley Stadium, and to the pantomime on ice at Wembley Pool.
A social club for former psychiatric patients was held weekly at Bishop Creighton House
and the average attendance was 25. A coach outing to Brighton was a great success with the
patients and their families.
At both clubs, set activities were usually arranged each week in addition to the normal
pastimes, and patients were encouraged to suggest and arrange their own activities. A Mental
Health Social Worker attended and supervised the proceedings at each club.
56