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76
Deaf/Blind
67. Included in the duties of the social welfare officer is the visiting
of registered blind persons who are not only blind but deaf.
Fortunately these doubly handicapped persons form a small
percentage of the blind register and in the London Borough of
Bromley area there is only one person, a lady of 102 years, who
is totally deaf and blind. The main means of communication with
a deaf/blind person is by using the deaf/blind manual or block
letter printing on the hand. It is the responsibility of the social
welfare officer to encourage deaf/blind persons to retain their
speech by communicating with them by using one or other of these
methods and to teach them braille, moon or handicrafts as appropriate.
A Social Club for deaf/blind persons living locally is held
at Hombrook House, Chislehurst, on the fourth Saturday in every
month. All deaf/blind persons are invited to become members of
the National Deaf/Blind Helpers League which is centred at
Peterborough. This organisation exists to improve the social conditions
of the deaf/blind and to provide information and advice
on problems relating to deaf/blind people. A monthly Social Club
for the deaf/blind organised by the League is held at Tooley
Street, S.E.l, and deaf/blind persons living within a reasonable
distance are invited to attend. An annual rally of deaf/blind
persons arranged by the League is held in Peterborough in July.

Instruction is given by the social welfare officers at these
classes in such crafts as sea grass work, basketry, knitting, crochet,
leatherwork, rug-making, mosaic and lampshade making.
Sheltered Employment
69. As at 31st March, 1966, 1 female blind worker was employed
in sheltered employment in the London Workshops for the Blind
as a flat machine knitter. The total augmentation, supplementation,
and travelling expenses, paid in respect of this worker during the