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21.
Events during 1960 include the opening of new premises for the Bell Club
by H.R.H. the Princess Royal in Way, the transfer of Haggerston Club to the
Baths Assembly Hall in December, and visits to Copthorne by Television's
"William Tell."
A reasonably comprehensive list of amenities provided for old people in
the Borough includes free baths, free chiropody (though 4/- at home), clubs
(full and part-time) with almost every amenity, home visiting (twice annually
to every pensioner by one visitor, and for emergencies, etc. by one of the
three visitors), assisted holidays, free laundry facilities for the incontinent,
lOd. mid-day two-course meals both at clubs and for the homebound (22,000 in
all), provision of bedding, clothing, furniture, etc. where needed, Christmas
parcels (670), Christmas dinner (and 2 weeks at Copthorne for 46, as well as
Club dinner for 400), Church Service at St. Paul's Cathedrel, clothes mending at
one club, redecorating of premises, entertainments, talent competition,exhibition
of handicrafts (and annual sale of work also), assistance with fuel,
Harvest festival gifts distribution, home nursing requisites (including 20
wheel chairs), library books delivered to housebound, assistance with ophthalmic
and dental services where needed, lowering of gas and electric meters where
needed, a regular shoe repair service (free, by Lion Boys' Club) S.O.S. cards
for pensioners living alone, summer outings for both active and housebound
groups, various goods at reduced prices or free, wireless for the bedridden,
legal aid assistance (which will be extended further when the new Citizen's
Advice Bureau opens this year) - and in fact other help such as collection of
pensions for housebound and almost every possible assistance in any form of
difficulty. Birthday cards and Christmas cards are sent to all club members,
even if in hospital at the time. Since 1953 a register of all known pensioners
has been kept and has remained fairly constant at about 4,000, despite the fact
that we are able to keep up-to-date on all deaths and removals, while at the
same time not receiving information of new pensioners unless and until they
need help (or unless they are discovered during the routine street-by-street
six-monthly visits to the whole Borough.)
In addition to these services, and in very close liaison with our own
welfare visitors, the pensioners receive a great deal of help from the District
Nursing Association, the L.C.C. Home Helps Service (incidentally, by local
arrangement the L.C.C. Health Visitors pass on to our visitors any old age
pensioners who apply to them for help), the staff of St.Matthew's (geriatric)
Hospital, and of course the National Assistance Board. We have appreciated the
help given by the W.V.S. and Salvation Army in distributing meals-on-wheels in
Council-owned vehicles, and we are indebted to King Edward's Hospital Fund for
their annual maintenance payment of £300 towards the running of the Holiday
Home, as well as to the City of London and East London Dispensary Fund for £250
towards the salary of the full-time visitor.