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the lives of the old folks and bring help wherever it is found to
be needed.
I am pleased to report that much progress has been made in
building up a comprehensive old people's welfare service in the
Borough. The Council's visiting scheme has been rapidly expanded
in an effort to find all those old folks who are likely to require
health or welfare assistance. During the past few months many
hundreds of old people have been contacted for the first time.
The type of help required is very diverse, but with the co-operation
of many voluntary workers it is the aim of the Council to see that
no genuine need is neglected.
Also during 1962 the Council decided to expand its Home Safety
activities, and established a local Home Safety Committee charged
with the responsibility of carrying out local propaganda to inform
the public of the extent and gravity of the home accident problem,
and to investigate the causes of local home accidents and possible
remedies. Representatives of organisations having a special
interest and experience in home safety are among the members of the
new Committee. The Committee's current programme of activities
includes film programmes and talks to local organisations, exhibitions
and the use of display units in local stores and at local
functions, together with other forms of publicity, and instruction
courses in home safety to youth and other organisations.
The Government's plans for the re-organisation of London
Local Government are now well-known and will, when implemented,
have far-reaching effects, particularly in local authority health
services, and therefore on the lives of Londoners for many years
to come. The opportunity of planning and expanding these services
to meet the growing demand for the various services in the new
combined area of Woolwich and Greenwich will present a new challenge
and one which will call for even higher standards of service.
In conclusion, I am pleased to take this opportunity of
acknowledging the help and co-operation received from Members of the
Council, from colleagues, and from the many voluntary workers now
assisting the Council. I should also like to thank the staff of my
Department for their valued support during a particularly busy year.
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
T. STANDRING.
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