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Constituent Organisations, bearing in mind that one of our primary objects is to
co-ordinate and not to usurp the magnificent work which they do on behalf of Old
People, and where it has been felt that such work could usefully be operated on a
wider basis, the Committee has itself accepted the responsibility.
VISITING
This is probably one of the most important of the Committee's functions.
Loneliness is one of the major problems affecting the welfare of the aged and when
an aged person is sick or housebound every effort must be made to see that he or she
obtains the benefit of cheerful company from time to time It is the feeling of the
Executive Committee that the Organising Secretary, upon whom falls the brunt of the
day to day administration of the work of the Committee should not, in ordinary
circumstances, have to occupy herself with visits as well, and steps are being taken
to endeavour to find a Constituent Organisation in each part of the Borough to whom
the Organising Secretary can refer when the need for a visit arises and upon whom
she can rely to carry out the visit, and continue visiting as long as may be required
CHIROPODY SERVICE.
With the assistance of continued financial support from the National Corporation
for the Care of Old People, the Chiropody Service has been maintained and plans are
well in hand to extend it Clinical Sessions have again been held throughout the year
by the British Red Cross Society on our behalf at their Local Headquarters, and we
ourselves have arranged such sessions for the inmates at the Residential Home at
Childs Hill conducted by the Hendon Old People s Housing Society The Committee has
also continued to arrange for the homebound to be treated in their own homes It has
been felt that possibly more old people would be able to attend a clinic or surgery
if it were nearer their homes, and it is hoped that arrangements will shortly be
concluded with the Chiropodists practising in the Borough whereby they will treat
old folk in their own surgeries on special terms, the agreed fees being paid by the
Committee, who willl recover from the patients such proportion as they can afford to
pay.
CLUBS.
The outstanding event of the year has been the establishment of our own Club at
158 Station Road, Hendon which is open every week-day afternoon except Saturdays
We were grateful for substantial donations towards the cost of the furniture and
equipment from the Hendon Borough Council and the King George VI Foundation, and
other specific gifts were received, and the Club was formally opened by His Worship
the Mayor of Hendon, our President, on December 8th, 1956 Here the old people can
come as often as they wish, to spend an afternoon in comfort, to talk, read, play
games or listen to the radio We already have well over 100 members of whom a
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