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Willesden 1929

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]

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THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE
Year ending 31st December, 1929,
ON THE
PROVISION OF MEALS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN IN
WILLESDEN.
Feeding Centres.—Meals have been supplied at the four feeding centres under the control
of the Education Committee, namely:—Gibbons Road, Furness Road, Strode Road, and Lower
Place and at one voluntary centre at Granville Road.
Dinners are taken from Gibbons Road Feeding Centre to Oldfield Road Physically Defective
School and from Furness Road Feeding Centre to Leinster Mentally Defective School, College Road.
The dinners are served in the main hall at each school.
Breakfasts.—The practice of serving breakfasts to children whose parents are unusually
poor has been continued throughout the year. All these cases have been in the South Kilburn area.
The meal consists of cocoa made with dried milk, and sugar, and bread and margarine.
Staffing.—The staff employed at each of the Feeding Centres is approximately one assistant
to every 50 children fed.
Selection of Children.—Recommendations are accepted as heretofore from School Teachers,
Health Nurses, and the Medical Staff, subject to review by immediate investigation of the economic
circumstances of the family. The total number of new application forms presented to the Education
Committee's Centres throughout the year was 492. Recommendations are also received from the
Willesden Board of Guardians, an agreement having been made whereby they pay the Willesden
Education Authority 1s. per head per week or part of a week for each child fed at the Education
Committee's Centres on their recommendation. This scheme came into operation on 30th October,
1922, the Guardians supplying every four weeks the list of children to be fed.
The economic circumstances scale was revised and raised one shilling per head on 20th
November, 1924.
Kilburn Feeding Centre.—Dinners.—The children of South Kilburn area are fed at the
Voluntary Centre established at the Presbyterian Mission Hall, Granville Road.
No change has been made with regard to the serving of the meals, but the table appointments
have been improved, and one spoon is now supplied for each course.
The meals are more appetising but monotonous.
The price per meal was raised from 4d. to 5d. on the 13th November, 1923. The behaviour
of the children has improved slightly, although the earlier arrivals hurry through their meal and
scramble out as soon as they have finished to make room for the newcomers, thereby making a constant
stream of children through the dining room.
Kilburn Breakfasts.—The provision of breakfasts at Carlton Vale School House has been
continued throughout the year, the arrangements being carried out by the Caretaker. The number
of application forms received from South Kilburn for the year was:—Dinners, 201, Breakfasts, 70.
Meals.—A three weekly menu was commenced in the Education Committee's Centres on
Julv 23rd, 1928. This provides one meatless meal, one roast meat, one stew, one meat pie or pudding
and" one cheese dinner, each being followed by a pudding or stewed fruit.
The price of meals for non-necessitous cases is 5d. as heretofore.

STATISTICAL INFORMATION, YEAR ENDING 31 st DECEMBER, 1929.

Table No . 47— No. of Meals Supplied.

Supplied to:—Breakfasts. Free.Dinners.Total.
Free.Paying.Guardians.
Education Committees' Centres7,00638,1991,1653,44949,819
Kilburn Voluntary Centre—18,724—1,44320,167
Special Schools—6,31317,19225823,763
Feeding Centre Assistants1,9722,383--4,355
Total8,97865,61918,3575,15098,104