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37
OLD PEOPLE'S WORK CENTRES.
There are now 2 Work Centres in the Borough organised
by the Ealing Central Aid Committee for the Employment
and Recreation of Elderly Citizens.
West Ealing Centre moved to larger premises in January
and by the end of the year employed 31 women and 9 men, 6
of the workers being over 80 and the average age 73. There
is sufficient space for another 30 workers if enough
work can be obtained West Ealing's work has consisted of
packing and mounting Greeting Cards on to showcards (one
order being for 100,000). stringing labels, making quilted
linings for nightdress cases and repairing Home Help
overalls and bed linen from an hotel Also many hundreds
of Ball Point Pens were assembled and carded; and plastic
coathangers were carded and put into polythene bags,
December was a particularly busy month, the following
being West Ealing's output:-
119,760 leaflets inserted into envelopes for a
publicity firm.
23,040 Ball Point Pens assembled.
This Centre had a day's outing during the Summer to
Bognor for which the workers saved weekly during the
previous three months. Two of the old folk who met at the
Centre. married in August and a party was held in their
honour and a gift presented to them from the workers in
the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress.
The new Greenford Centre was opened in the Bowls
Pavilion at Ravenor Park in June and by the end of the
year there were 29 workers with an average age of 69. The
oldest is 88. This Centre is now practically full, and is
run by a paid organiser assisted by voluntary helpers.
They had some good pre-Christmas orders for packing Fairy
Lamps and pasting labels on to shaving bowls and other
work undertaken including pasting gussets and pockets on
to Manilla Files.
There is no doubt of the good effect of the Work
Centre Scheme on the workers, many of whom have been
advised by their Doctors to come to the Centre It is
very rewarding to see how after a short time they so
often lose a mood of depression and thoroughly enjoy the
work.
HOLIDAYS FOR OLD PEOPLE.
During the year holidays for old people were arranged