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4. Paid helpers not to be employed without the approval of the
public health committee (this approval was to be in general
terms and not for details).
5. The organisation to become and remain affiliated to the
Lewisham Old People's Welfare Council.
There was also a proviso for representation on the governing committee
of the organisation where the grant made was more than the minimum.
The scheme did not commend itself wholeheartedly to all the
organisations, though the Lewisham Old People's Welfare Council,
the Lewisham Darby and Joan Club, the Over 60 Years Club at the
Goldsmiths' Community Centre, the Old Folks' Club at St. Mark's
Church Hall, the Talbot Settlement at Bromley Hill and the Good
Companions Personal Service were being grant-aided or had been
accepted for grant by the end of the financial year. In addition to this
the Lewisham Branch of the British Red Cross Society became affiliated
to the Lewisham Old People's Welfare Association although not able
to accept grant.
The Lewisham Old People's Welfare Association
At the end of the year the Lewisham Old People's Welfare Council
decided to change its name to the Lewisham Old People's Welfare
Association. The Lewisham Old People's Welfare Association is
regarded by the Council as its main link with the voluntary work in
the borough for the care of old people. The borough makes grants to
all other approved organisations who are prepared to agree to the provisos
set out above and therefore it has a direct link with those organisations,
but it would clearly be an administrative difficulty to remain in close
touch with them individually, particularly as it is hoped that they will
multiply in the years to come, and therefore although it makes a direct
grant its chief connection with them is through their being affiliated
to the Lewisham Old People's Welfare Association. On that association
the borough council is strongly represented in that, in addition to the
Mayor being President, on the executive committee of that association
it has four members of its public health committee (two elected and
two coopted), one other member, and further, the Borough Treasurer
is the honorary treasurer of the association and I am its honorary
medical adviser. The association, towards the end of the year, decided
to appoint a wholetime organising secretary and Miss L. H. Ellis, who
has had a large experience of social welfare work, was selected and took
up her duties at the very beginning of 1950. To help the association
still further the council agreed to office accommodation being found for
the organising secretary in the health department, in return for a nominal
rental.
The Lewisham Old People's Welfare Association, besides being a
coordinating body for the work for old people in the borough, has
executive functions. The main one of these is the Meals on Wheels
service for which there is one van in existence now and for which there
will be two vans a little later in 1950. Other functions are the ascertainment
of old people, particularly those in need such as the house-bound ;