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DAY REHABILITATION CENTRES
The statistics quoted below reflect a difference in emphasis in the functions of the
day centres: the New Cross centre being geared more towards rehabilitation-backto-work,
with a more pressurised work programme; and the Cambridge day centre
serving the needs of the longer-term patient. Both centres, however, have a number
of members whose chances of return to unsheltered employment are remote but
who are enabled, through the social contact and purposeful routine of the centre,
to stay out of hospital.

Therapeutic Group
The group has continued to meet on one evening a week throughout the year under
the leadership of two mental health social workers. This is an on-going group with
new members joining from time to time. The total number of persons on the roll
at the end of the year was 13. This includes some residents from Honor Lea Hostel.
Social Clubs
This year, one psychiatric social club, meeting in the Forest Hill area, closed down
owing to lack of demand in that neighbourhood. It was felt that an improvement
in other local social facilities, such as those provided by churches in that area, and
closer co-operation between mental health social workers and local organisations
may have resulted in a greater acceptance of the mentally ill into other social groups,
resulting in a consequent decrease in the need for a social club with a "psychiatric"
label.
The Tideway social club continues to meet at the New Cross day centre, but is
now organised by two volunteers, with a social worker visiting in an advisory
capacity.
A social club at The Albany, Deptford (outside the sphere of the Health Department)
welcomes the mentally ill as members.
Club activitiesfor the mentally handicapped are provided entirely by voluntary
organisations. Weekly evening clubs are held at the Congregational Church Hall,
Lee, S.E.I2, and at the Lewisham Training Centre, S.E.23. There is also a Saturday
morning club at the Lewisham Training Centre organised by the Southwark
Diocesan Board of Education in conjunction with the Lewisham Society for
Mentally Handicapped Children; the Council has supported this club to the extent
of paying the wages of a driver for the Society's minibus.
Industrial Work
The Supervisor of New Cross Psychiatric Rehabilitation Centre, who has this
particular responsibility, showed considerable energy and ingenuity in obtaining
contracts from firms for paid work to be carried out by trainees at the adult centres
and those persons attending the day centres to prepare themselves for employment
in the community. Most of this was assembly work and packing, and gross earnings
from contracts at the day centres reached £3,600; £1,850 was paid out in ex-gratia
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