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35
Voluntary Associations
1967 has been marked by two important events in the sphere of voluntary
work for the mentally handicapped and mentally ill.
In June the Croydon Association for Mental Health was inaugurated
under the presidency of His Worship the Mayor of Croydon. The Association
aims to promote voluntary help by providing information as to needs and resources
and helping to co-ordinate effort. It also aims to contribute actively
in the field of education and information on mental health matters and to
promote better understanding of the needs and problems to be met. In its
first six months the Association started by making a survey of the local
mental health services and of the scope for voluntary help and made plans
for a conference on voluntary help to be held at Warlingham Park Hospital.
In July the Croydon Volunteer Aid Project was launched. This project
aims to develop voluntary work in the mental health services, and has been
set up by agreement between the National Association for Mental Health,
the Public Health Committee and the Croydon and Warlingham Park Hospital
Management Committee. The King Edward Hospital Fund is financing the
project for an initial two year period. Mr. H.P. Muller has been appointed
Co-ordinator of Voluntary Work under the project and he has made a detailed
survey of openings for voluntary work. This has been followed up by the
starting of a variety of voluntary work at Warlingham Park Hospital, and by
the end of the year 34 volunteers had been helping there through the scheme.
The Croydon Association for Mental Health is actively supporting Mr.
Muller's work, and together these two developments hold out much promise
for the encouragement, development and co-ordination of voluntary aid in
the field of mental health.
In the excitement of new ventures the continuing help of old friends is
not forgotten. The interest and help of the Croydon and District Society for
Mentally Handicapped Children in many aspects of work is a welcome source
of encouragement, and the practical and material assistance given by the
Society on many occasions is greatly appreciated.
Through its residential homes the Mental After Care Association
continues to help many Croydon patients, 25 of whom were resident in
the Association's Homes at the end of the year.
The Guardianship Society also continues to look after 11 severely sub
normal patients on behalf of the Local Health Authority (9 under guardianship
and 2 placed informally).
Reference is again due to the help and interest of the Croydon Guild of
Social Service and to the many other voluntary organisations and individuals
who during the year have given willingly of time and resources to help
Croydon patients.