View report page

9
Both Miss Sharp and Miss Wilson gave much thought and care to deciding on the rooms most
urgently needing attention and to dealing with offers of voluntary help for visiting and odd jobs.
The National Assistance Board gave helpful consideration to applications for support and in a
number of cases refunded money spent by the Association on paint and wallpaper.
Relief.—Urgent needs, mostly for small items, are reported by Miss Sharp and Miss Wilson.
The accounts show that the Association has been able to give an increasing amount of help.
Clubs.—The Executive is able to keep in touch with club work through the leaders' reports of
special activities, at Christmas-time or summer outings, and the office is continually reminded of
the benefits to club members of the companionship of the regular meetings and the care extended
to them by club leaders in time of trouble or illness.
Entertainments.—Another splendid party for 800 elderly St. Marylebone residents was given at
Christmas by Mrs. Lew Grade in the Seymour Hall, which again presented a wonderfully colourful
and happy scene. This occasion was eagerly anticipated and talked about long afterwards as
'better than ever'. Thanks to Mrs. Grade's personal care for every detail of the gifts, decorations
and the very cheerful show, this huge party went off once again without a hitch. The Association
was happy to allocate the invitations and arrange for stewarding.
The Y.M.C.A. in Great Russell Street repeated their delightful Christmas party for old people,
and several other special parties were given, among which one arranged by Boy Scouts in St. John's
Wood included a drive to see the Christmas lights.
Library Service to Housebound Readers.—The Borough Librarian reports:—'The delivery of
books to the housebound, instituted by the Public Libraries Committee in 1957, has been carried
out regularly by the library, mainly to cases recommended by the Home Help Service. Thirty
readers are at present receiving this service and 4,792 books were delivered to them in 1963. The
readers deeply appreciate the service given and look forward very much to each fortnightly visit.'
Radio.—Fourteen new sets on loan were issued on the Association's application to the Wireless
for the Bedridden Society. This Society also generously supplied a number of licences. At the
end of the year 38 sets remained under the supervision of the Association, and some other sets
in the Borough were sponsored by different bodies. The Society started providing television sets
in special cases.
Television.—Through the Central Consultative Committee on the Welfare of Old People, the
Association had the opportunity to apply for television sets on loan for housebound people living
alone. An anonymous benefactor had offered 1,000 sets for people in London, with licences and
maintenance covered. It was a great pleasure that the Association's application for sets met with a
favourable response."
Diseased or Infirm Persons—Compulsory Removal.
Section 47 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, as amended by the National Assistance (Amendment)
Act, 1951, empowers the Council to apply to the Courts for Orders for the removal to a hospital
or institution, for the purposes of securing the necessary care and attention, of persons who—
(a) are suffering from grave chronic disease or, being aged, infirm or physically incapacitated,
are living in insanitary conditions, and,
(b) are unable to devote to themselves, and are not receiving from other persons, proper care
and attention.
It is seldom necessary to follow this procedure, but distressing cases sometimes occur of old persons
who, although no longer able to look after themselves and living in conditions which make it impossible
for them to be nursed at home, refuse to enter a home or hospital voluntarily. Fortunately, during
1963 no cases occurred which required action under this heading.
Public Baths and Laundry.
The Seymour Hall, opened in April, 1937, covers an area of 37,000 square feet. The building is
electrically heated and contains two indoor swimming pools, private baths, public laundry, squash
racket court, changing and club rooms. Swimming, private bath and laundry facilities are available
daily throughout the year. The large swimming pool, which is converted from October to April
inclusive for use as a public hall, has a water area of 132 feet by 42 feet with depths from 3 feet to
12 feet, and the smaller pool a water area of 100 feet by 30 feet with depths from 2 feet 9 inches to
6 feet 6 inches. The number of swimmers, excluding school children, using the pools during 1963
was 170,316.
Organised Swimming Instruction—Schools.—The number of school children receiving swimming
instruction increased to 31,979 from 25,865 last year.