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The unit completed its first full year of operation during the year and
has steadily consolidated its purpose of providing a more advanced work
programme and trainees with an increasing variety of work. More sophisticated
machinery was introduced, and a time clock was installed in the entrance hall
to the Workshop. This enabled factory standards to be simulated greatly
improving trainees acceptance of time keeping and resulting in a pay structure
based on the trainees abilities being introduced. Sales of work dropped
slightly but since acquiring knitting machines the sale of bobble hats has
improved. Sales of trays have also risen.
Contract work has now become the main source of activity. 30,000 leaflets
were distributed and a contract for assembling 120,000 wig stands was completed
ahead of schedule at an output of 9,000 per day. Another contract for
electrical components involved the installation of a press and 31,000 items
on this contract were completed during the year.
Six trainees have either been placed in, or have found outside employment
and apart from minor problems they have retained their jobs without undue difficulty.
The staff and trainees have been very pleased to hear from them all
on certain occasions and hope in the near future to see something of them when
a proposed fortnightly social evening starts.
During the year 3,423 attendances were made at the Workshop and at the
end of the year 23 trainees were on the roll. The Workshop earned a total
of £585 from its activities, and next year should see a substantial increase
in earnings as the work programme gathers momentum.
ADULT TRAINING CENTRE, GASCOIGNE ROAD, BARKING.
The range of activities provided at the Centre continued to develop
during 19&9, and a continuous effort made to find new work and to enlarge
existing contracts.
Groups of trainees were taken on visits to local factories to 6ee
various industrial processes and to a Post Office Sorting Department to
see the process of letters through various sorting machines.
Outings were made to the Tower of London, Museums, Fishing Boats and
Cockle Sheds at Leigh, and to a London Theatre. On many of these trips
the trainees were taken by public transport and had meals in local
restaurants.
In May 80 trainees were taken to St. Mary's Bay for a week's holiday.
Whilst there they had a flight on a hovercraft and enjoyed many other outings.
In June trainees were taken by coach to Westminster Pier and then by
boat to Hampton Court for tea. In September they went to Walton-on-Naze and
visited various places of interest.
A social evening for parents and trainees is held at the Centre every
Monday with an average attendance of 150. A social on a Saturday evening is
held approximately every six weeks. Our thanks are due to the staff of the
Centre for their support of these activities.
During 1969, 19,6l8 attendances were made at the Centre and 108 trainees
were on roll at the end of the year. The Centre earned a total of £1,450
from its activities.
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