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22.
The Council's Holiday Home at Copthorne in Sussex has not only
continued to give a fortnight's holiday for all old people wishing to go at
a cost to the pensioner of 10/- to 15/- a week (according to season), but
has taken even more mothers and babies from the whole of England than ever
before. A further great improvement to the Home has been effected with the
help of King Edward's Hospital Fund, by the building of an extension
containing six ground floor bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. The Sunbabies
Trustees also brought up-to-date the television set they gave previously,
by having it adapted for commercial television, and agreed in addition to
renew the children's slide.
The S.O.S. cards have been distributed now to nearly 1,000 old people
who live alone, and have proved useful on occasions, as well as giving some
degree of confidence to the old people concerned.
The second-hand furniture distribution continues, but three-piece
suites are having to be refused now as unsuitable.
The L.C.C's. health visitors are giving occasional talks in the clubs,
and their home helps continue to do invaluable work.
The work of our welfare visitors is being supplemented by the Hoxton
Market Christian Mission, and the link with the National Assistance Board
gives much-needed help with mattresses, and fireguards, as well as money,
to the old people.
St. Matthew's Hospital still co-operates perfectly, and the L.C.C's.
"Hillside" home assists with many intermediate cases, but everything
feasible is done to keep the old people in their own homes where this is at
all possible.
Additional most valuable help has been given during the past year by
the Lion Boys' Club who have repaired old people's shoes entirely free of
charge, and now the North Thames Gas Board (both Central and Northern
Divisions) have begun to give free service to old people whose gas fittings
are unsafe or inaccessible (highly-placed gas maters, loose gas taps,
rubber tubing on gas rings, etc.).
At the other extreme of the age groups, the Council have contributed to
the building of an adventure playground, and the Nuffield Trust have begun
an experiment in the prevention of juvenile delinquency, known as the
"Shoreditch Project" ("not because Shoreditch is particularly delinquent").