View report page

premises were used to provide an additional elder boys' centre. These changes took place
in May. In September the junior centre at Lewisham was transferred to larger and better
premises at St. Peter's Hall, Brockley.

Arrangements were put in hand for the opening in 1955 of an experimental industrial
training centre at 52 Ashfield Street, Stepney for approximately 20 elder boys. The
Council approved the preparation of schemes for the erection of new permanent
centres on sites at Hackney, Kensington and Lewisham and proposals were initiated to
provide for the replacement of the unsatisfactory elder girls' centre at Peckham and
for the transfer of the Bethnal Green and Hackney centres to permanent premises at
Cornwall Avenue. Bethnal Green.
During the year it was possible to extend the provision of special transport for
occupation centres to include the conveyance of all persons attending junior and elder
girls' centres by means of four adapted ambulance coaches, operated through the
transport section of the Education Officer's Department, and 12 coaches hired from
contractors.
Transport
Parents and friends were invited to functions showing the work and activities at the
majority of centres. Articles made at the centres were offered for sale, the receipts
amounting to £543 10s. 5d. (including £164 l1s. l0d. for shoe repairs) at elder boys'
centres, £127 6s. 1d. (including £6 7s. for cookery) at elder girls' centres and £43 9s. 9d.
at junior centres. Elder boys' centres also made some apparatus and domestic equipment
for use at other centres.
Open days
and sales of
work
Arrangements were continued for the annual chest X-ray examination of the staff
at all centres and for elder boys and men and elder girls and women attending centres.
No active cases of tuberculosis were discovered.
Chest X-ray
examination
The annual organised holiday at a seaside camp was again an unqualified success.
198 children and adults took part, including 81 necessitous cases whose expenses were
wholly or partly borne by the Council. Day coach outings to the sea or country were
arranged at some centres and transport provided for visits to local parks for recreation.
Facilities were given for elder boys to play cricket and football at recreation grounds,
and local parents' groups provided transport from certain centres to visit a free circus
matinee. Christmas carries were held at all centres.
Holidays,
outings and
parties
Gifts, including radio sets, a gramophone and other small items, and money to
provide extra amenities, were given to centres by local parents' groups.
Gifts
Centres were visited frequently by parties of students taking organised courses of
training and by other interested persons, including representatives of provincial local
authorities and visitors from other countries. Routine inspections of each centre were
made by Inspectors of the Board of Control. Centres were also visited by members of
91
Visits to
centres