View report page

- 60 -
in during the morning, have dinner and spend the afternoon making
friends and chatting over a cup of tea.
We are very grateful to Mr. Bowden for all his spare-time driving
and should welcome offers from other voluntary drivers.
Chiropody
During the past year this section of our work has undergone considerable
change, Chiropody has now become the financial responsibility
of the Welfare authority, in this case, of the London County Council,
and in January of this year treatment became free to all old age
pensioners receiving National Assistance. There have been changes in
our staff, too : last summer Miss Addiscott, who so ably organised
the clerical work, fell ill and had to give it up. Mr. Tertis felt
obliged to give more time to his other clinic and handed over the
work at St. Alban's Hall to Mrs. Bond, who worked so devotedly among
the old people. Then a great blow fell - she had to leave because of
ill-health and died very shortly afterwards. Mr. Tertis then came
back to us and now shares the work of the clinics with Mrs. Pearson.
We are fortunate to have Mrs. Waddilow, who has taken over the services
of Miss Addiscott and also gives general clerical help. Her assistance
is of great value and is much appreciated.
After all the difficulties brought about by these changes the
department is getting back to normal, but the demand for domiciliary
chiropody still exceeds our possibilities, and a two months' wait is
usual, through lack of personnel and transport. We are unable to expand
because of inadequate grants, yet this service means so much to the
old people ; comfortable walking gives an incentive to living, even
those whose life is bounded within their small homes. We wish very
much that we could do more for them.
The total number of treatments given throughout the year was
2,329.
Outing and Entertainments
There have been many outings during the past year. In the summer
there were coach day excursions to Bexhill, Windsor, Clacton and
Folkestone, also to Albourne, Bletchley and East Wittering, in each
of which places the old people were the guests of the local Women's
Institute for tea. We are greatly indebted to these friends for their
unfailing hospitality and their constant support of our work among
the old people of Southwark.
Among the entertainments to which parties were escorted were
shows at the Coliseum, the Adelphi Theatre, also the Cinderella Ice
Show at Wembley.