View report page

115
Voluntary Centre. There is only one voluntary centre
in Woolwich. It is established at the Victory Club in Beresford
Street, and serves one of the most difficult areas in the
Borough. The Centre is held once a week—on Monday
afternoon—and continues to do excellent work. The number
of children attending the centre during the year was 131.
The total number of attendances, including mothers, was
996. As in previous years, one of the Council's assistant
medical officers has attended at this centre every alternate
Monday, and a health visitor attended every session. The
Council do not make a grant towards the expenses of this
centre.
Collective Teaching. In 1925, sewing classes were
started at the Town Hall and New Eltham centres. During
that year the results were disappointing, especially at Woolwich.
It was thought that possibly the room provided at
the old Town Hall, Woolwich, for the purpose was unsuitable,
and it was resolved, as this class had only been started in a
tentative way, to discontinue it and start again at Plumstead
in the new centre, where the rooms were new, suitably
warmed and furnished. It was found that much more
interest was taken in the class there, that there was a gradual
increase in the numbers attending, and more interest was
taken in the work and in the model garments shown at each
session. Materials for sale were much appreciated. In
these classes collective and individual teaching has been
given so that every mother could make the garment she chose
and use any materials she already had. More than one
toddler has a warm coat now owing to old materials being remade.
Planning and cutting out has been done at the centre,
and also most of the sewing, but in some cases work has been
taken home to finish. Knitting has been very popular, and
several frocks have been made. It was resolved, towards the
end of the year, to start a weekly lecture at Plumstead centre
on suitable subjects, commencing on the first Friday in the
New Year.
Treatment of Minor Ailments. Children requiring
medical or surgical treatment for certain minor ailments are