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A very successful fund-raising bazaar was also held which contributed
to the school's Amenity Fund. Parent-teachers evenings
were also organised and these were very helpful in creating good
liaison between the parents and the teachers.
Battersea Adult Training Centre
We were indeed fortunate in being able to obtain new premises
in Battersea to replace the church hall previously utilized and
during 1969 the centre was much involved in preparing for the
move to its new quarters in Thessaly Road. This was finally
achieved, after a few weeks delay, in November. By this time the
trainee group had integrated several male trainees into the centre
programme, and the presence of men has added to and increased
the liveliness of the trainee group. A photograph of the training
centre appears in the centre pages of this report (Plate D).
With the forthcoming move it was possible to plan for a considerable
expansion in the centre programme. The new centre
has three separate work areas, a large storage area, and a kitchen.
The largest room is used for industrial work, the dining area leads
off it, and this again can be partitioned for other activities.
Although the centre is not purpose-built it is ideally suited to our
needs and is a most attractive modern structure, built around a
small enclosed square with large windows on all sides. The Wandsworth
Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Councillor
Handyside were extremely generous in providing funds for the
purchase of a gas stove, a refrigerator, two full-length mirrors and
some ironing equipment for the new centre. All previous activities
carried out have continued, but with the use of separate rooms it
has been much easier to work with smaller groups of trainees and
develop further educational projects and creative activities, such
as painting. The hairdressing and beauty project originally introduced
into the centre by a domiciliary occupational therapist has
been taken on and expanded by staff members, to the delight of
the trainees, who are now learning to wash and set their own and
each other's hair. It is hoped that 1970 will be an exciting year
for the centre, when eventually there should be a better balance
of men and women and a good opportunity to develop a wide
programme of activities.
Balham Adult Training Centre
The event which had the most far-reaching consequence was no
doubt the change from an all-female centre to a mixed one.. The
decision to have only Borough residents in the Centre was made
early in 1969. The first six men arrived after the Easter term and
were soon settled in. The remaining twenty came after the summer
holiday. A grand farewell party was held for all the women who
were to be transferred to their respective boroughs and some went
off with great expectations while others were slightly apprehensive.
All, with one or two exceptions, have now settled well in their
new centres.