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-55-
The Meals-on-Wheels Service
This service has increased considerably during the past year
and somewhat strained the machinery of the organisation. A great
improvement effected during the year is the introduction of the
five-day service over the whole of the borough. There are six rounds
covering the ground and often each van has to carry over 40 meals.
The helpers continue their good work of reporting on cases in special
need and take a tremendous interest in the homebound old people
who eagerly await dinner-time because it means seeing a fresh face
and having a chat with someone. Delivering dinners can be a wearying
task, toiling up several flights of stairs to give a meal, sometimes
to a reluctant old person who has to be persuaded to eat,
but it is always rewarding to feel that this visit has at least
broken the monotony of the day for one who cannot go out.
The vans have just returned from delivering from 250 to 300
meals, either to the homebound or to the luncheon clubs; there are
two of these, Nelson Square and Quinn Square, where old people who
are mobile can get their dinner nearer to their homes.
The past year has established a new record in the service of
meals - an average of 9,000 per month has been reached, including
the restaurant, meals-on-wheels and luncheon clubs services.
The Restaurant at St. Alban's Hall
The day's activities begin soon after 9.30 a.m. when the old
people arrive for their morning coffee, sitting at a table chatting
with a friend, with background music, or glancing at the morning
paper. There are two sittings for dinner, the first at 12.15 p.m.
and the meal costs l0d. When all is cleared away many linger on
for a cup of tea (cost 1d.) and then make their way to the television
room, or to one of the classes being held. If the weather
is fine, they sit in the garden with friends.
Workshop for the Elderly
The scheme came into operation last May, and has been slowly
but surely building up. At the beginning there were morning sessions
only, with 8 to 10 people working for two hours. As soon as more
Work was available, afternoon sessions were started, also for two
hours, and there are now 18 people working in the morning and 8 in
the afternoon.