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18.
SHOREDITCH TUBERCULOSIS CARE COMMITTEE.
I am indebted to the Secretary, Miss E.B.Guest, for the following
report of Care Work for the year ended 31st December, 1954.
"The Shoreditch Tuberculosis Care Committee" continued to function
throughout 1954 and, as previously, the Care Fund provided necessary
extras, in addition to available statutory help, for patients and their
families.
The net result of the Christmas Seal Sale (the bulk of our income)
was £240.18s.6d. after £12.13s.7d. had been given to the National
Association for th6 Prevention of Tuberculosis (i.e. 5% of the net
profit, as agreed).
Councillors Mr. and Mrs. W. Varnals kindly organised an Old Time
Dance on the 29th October, 1954, which raised a net profit of £50
and provided a very pleasant evening both for dancers and onlookers.
Further welcome additions to the fund were £40 from the L.C.C. Sunday
Cinema Entertainments Fund and £17.10.0 from the United Charities of
St.Leonards.
Of the earlier means of giving financial help to tuberculous
families whioh still remain necessary, fares for relatives to visit
patients in Sanatoria and help towards wireless expenses are the two
which still appear to require a large share of our money.
Again this year patients were sent on holiday through the
auspices of the London County Council and the Spero Fund, and it was
found possible for our fund to be utilised to defray the expenses of a
fortnight's holiday for a child to stay at the same resort as her
mother, who went away through official channels.
Pocket money at the rate of 7/6d per week was paid to young
patients who had commenced work before being taken ill but who had not
worked long enough to render them eligible for Health Insurance benefit.
This pocket money was continued until they reached sixteen years of
age, when the liability was taken over by the National Assistance
Board.
Some all-wool ex-Government blankets were purchased at a very low
oost during the summer and were well appreciated by patients during the
winter - whether received as a gift or paid for at cost price by the
recipient.
Special weekly assistance was given in a case where a single girl
has cared for the two sons of her sister, who had died previously,
and this will continue, at any rate until the elder boy is fifteen.
Two armchairs were purchased for an elderly couple whose only son
is a way in a Sanatorium. By this means, although the ohairs are being