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Psychiatric Social Club
The Oakleaf Club in N.8. and the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association's evening club in N.15.
have both continued to function very well throughout the year offering social activities to their
members covering a wide range. The attendance at both these clubs is very good. The Oakleaf
Club draws its membership in the main from the western side of the borough and from patients at
Friern and Halliwick Hospitals. The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association Club caters for all
the eastern side of the borough and those patients who have been in Claybury, although all are
free to go to either or both. These Clubs perform a very useful service in supplying a link between
those patients in hospital and the community as patients while still in hospital may attend the
Clubsand groups are at times conveyed there and in giving support to those who are in the community
and thereby helping to reduce the re-admission factor.
Hamilton Hogben Adult Training Centre
Now in its second full year the Adult Training Centre continues to function in a most satisfactory
manner and progress is such that a further extension is proposed for the year 1970/71 when an
extra forty trainees will be admitted. Plans are going ahead to establish an horticultural unit on
a piece of waste land recently acquired from the Council's Estates Department Other than providing
a most valuable training facility, it is intended that the site will provide an excellent "fair weather"
recreational area for the benefit of the trainees not actively engaged in horticulture.
Close co-operation is maintained with local industry and accordingly the light industrial work
carried out in the Centre covers a very wide field from roller skates to motor car components, and
from television components to plastic toys. The type of work accepted for processing is kept as
varied, as possible in order that the maximum benefit is available to all the trainees irrespective
of their mental ability and/or dexterity.
The laundry still continues to expand and has recently accepted a contract to launder the blankets
for the North Eastern and North Western Divisions of the London Ambulance Service. The increased
volume of work necessitated a re-deployment of machinery and space within the laundry. This has
now been started and we look forward to further expansion in the future.
A more direct approach is being made to the medical, social and educational aspects of the day to
day life of the Centre, commencing with a complete assessment of all trainees in the light of past,
present and future training requirements.
The annual Christmas concert was held in December in which some thirty per cent of the trainees
took part. The show was very well patronised by parents and other interested parties. It is
anticipated that the concert wi II become firmly established as an important annual fixture.
The Centre athletic team won the Inter Training Centre sports trophy and medals; they intend to
win again in 1970.
Six trainees have been placed in open employment and several others are under consideration.
Services for the mentally subnormal
The Authority sponsors 30 children at the Hornsey Centre for Handicapped Children on two days
per week. In most of these children a marked improvement has been noted and they are becoming
more socially competent The Hornsey Centre fills a serious gap in the Borough's services until
the new Special Care unit at the Junior Training School is open.
Linden House Hostel
This hostel is for 16 adult male working subnormals, now it has had some time to settle down, there
are very few changes taking place in the residency of the Home, six men are working in open employment,
one is employed at the T.B. Workshop and the rest attend the Adult Training Centre. In the
summer the Warden and his deputy took the residents on a holiday for one week to Walmer in Kent
Junior Training School and Special Care Unit
Work on the building of the JuniorTrainingSchool commenced this year, and the school will be opened at
the beginning of the September 1970 term. This means thatevery child at present attending a Junior
Training School in either Enfield or Barnet will now be able to attend a Junior Training School within
the borough.
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