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Old People's Lunch Clubs. The Old People's Lunch Club at the Central Hall.
Plumstead, which was formed in 1943, continues to serve some 80 mid-day meals
daily to old age pensioners on six days of the week. The charge to the old people
is l0d. per head for a two course meal, and the balance of 8d., to meet the full
cost of the meal, is contributed by the London County Council's Welfare Committee.
The Eltham Lunch Club, which operates from the Woolwich Labour Party
hut in Well Hall Road, was formed at the end of 1951. The Club is open on
six days a week and approximately 300 meals are served weekly.
Meals are supplied to the Plumstead Lunch Club from the Borough Council's
Restaurant at Plumstead Baths, and to the Eltham Club from the County Council's
restaurant in Eltham High Street. The Borough Council has made a grant of
£1,030 for the year 1952/53 towards the cost of this work.
Home Visiting. Schemes for friendly visiting and minor services to old people
have been in operation in the Borough for some time. This work is mainly undertaken
by the Women's Voluntary Services and the British Red Cross Society
and by members of other organisations, including the Rotary Clubs and the
Soroptimists. Churches of all denominations are also very active in this work.
To help supplement the work of these voluntary organisations, the Old People's
Welfare Committee has its own voluntary visiting scheme, which has recently
been extended, and there are now 30 visitors, which ensures more regular visiting
to the aged.
Clothing and bedding for old people can be obtained through the Personal
Service Committee of the Woolwich Council of Social Service, and other services
rendered include those of obtaining household requirements, the provision of
wireless sets, help with transport when required and at Christmas time, and assistance
in obtaining medical apparatus.
I am indebted to the Woolwich Council of Social Service for the information
concerning the work of this body.
Other Old People's Welfare Services. The London County Council have
chiropody sessions at four of their health centres in the Borough, and although
there is no mobile chiropody service, the County Council ambulances take the
elderly people to these clinics for treatment. There has been no "Meals on
Wheels" service in the Borough during the past few years. The use of two mobile
canteens which were at one time operated by the Council of Social Service had
to be discontinued for financial reasons. Suggestions are now being made by
local voluntary organisations that this service, if possible, be re-started, even on a
small scale.
The Council's mobile library is available for use by elderly people.
A plan has been formulated by the Old People's Welfare Committee for a
recreational club for old people which would open daily (probably afternoons
and evenings) and would meet the needs of many active old people for "somewhere
to go " for companionship and recreation.
Concerts are arranged by the Borough Council, in conjunction with voluntary
organisations, and voluntary artistes attend at the local Old People's Clubs.
In the matter of outings the elderly are well catered for locally; excursions
are arranged by several local voluntary bodies, including the local pensions branches
and the lunch clubs. Although the Borough Council has no holiday home, the
Council of Social Service has often been able to arrange for a small number of
elderly persons to go on holiday. It is hoped that these arrangements can be
extended in the future.
The County Council's Domestic Help service continues to do very valuable
work in this field.
The Borough Council provides a free slipper bath to pensioners on one day
a week at three of its bathing centres, and the number of attendances of pensioners
and the unemployed during the twelve months ended March, 1952, was 3,935.
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