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23
HOME SAFETY
The Willesden Home Safety Committee, which was formed in November, 1956, has done valuable
work during the year. It is a voluntary committee which has the support of both the Willesden Borough and
Middlesex County Councils. The Borough Council made a further grant of £100 to the committee's funds in
the financial year 1962/63.
The Committee's aim is to reduce the number of accidents which occur in homes in Willesden,
mostly affecting children under five years and people over 65 years of age. Its terms of reference were outlined
in the annual report for 1956.
The Willesden Borough Council and twenty-four local organisations are represented on the Committee,
which is affiliated to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the National Home Safety
Committee. The Committee is also a member of the British Standards Institution and the Consumers'
Association Limited.
Four committee meetings and twelve meetings of sub-committees were held during the year. Subcommittees
considered the future work of the committee: a song competition; the third edition of the Safety
handbook; the Willesden Show; and the national and local campaign for 1963 on oil heaters.
The third edition of the Committee's Home Safety Handbook was published in September, and by
the end of the year more than 1,000 copies of the 3,000 printed had been distributed. Publication of a
fourth edition is now being considered.
Six thousand copies of a leaflet on "Safety in the Home" were distributed by the Housing and
Estates Manager to Council tenants.
At the Willesden Regatta held at the Welsh Harp in June copies were available of "Water Safety
Code" and "Safety Afloat" published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
During autumn and winter appropriate posters were displayed on Council notice boards in public
libraries and in clinics.
A children's poster competition was arranged with the co-operation of the Borough Education Officer.
There was an excellent response and some remarkable posters were produced. Four prizes of engraved
plaques were presented to the winners at the Willesden Carnival. The plaques were a gift from an anonymous
donor.
A display was exhibited at the Willesden Show in September which aroused tremendous interest. It
depicted in a unique way "Safety in the Home", the main feature being a life-size model of a Spaceman.
Several pairs of earphones were provided and the public were invited to listen to a broadcast from the
commander of a space ship to the people of Willesden on home safety. A special leaflet was produced on
"How to become a Spaceman", emphasising that safety and adventure must go together, to fit in with the
theme of the stall. Considerable interest was also shown in the "Burns and Scalds" quiz board, and the
winning posters from the schools poster competition. The Chairman and members attended to answer questions
and distribute literature.
Members of the Committee gave six talks to local organisations, and approximately 210 people
attended.
During the year a great deal of thought was given to the hazards caused in homes by oil heaters.
There will be a special national campaign on the subject in 1963, and the Royal Society for the Prevention
of Accidents invited the Committee to submit suggestions for the campaign and send specimen posters. As
a result, a sub-committee was set up to consider suggestions for this campaign and also a local one.
The Vice-Chairman and a member attended the Willesden Borough Council's Sixth Civic Forum
in February; two members attended the National Home Safety Conference held at Central Hall, Westminster,
in October; and one member attended several meetings of the Area 10 Home Safety Committee, which has
representatives from all the Home Safety Committees in Greater London and Middlesex.