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70
The Middlesex Association for the Blind organised a Handcraft
Exhibition open to all blind persons in the new London Boroughs. This
took place in May and there were 23 entries from Harrow. Of these 13
received awards as follows:— 3 first prizes, 4 second prizes, 2 third prizes
and 4 highly recommended.
During the period under review, fortnightly handcraft classes were
arranged as well as courses in dancing, horticulture and cookery. These
were well attended, as were the various social functions organised by the
local club for the blind. Financial assistance was provided and arrangments
made to enable 58 blind persons to have an enjoyable holiday. They
were accompanied by 16 guides without whom the holiday would have
been impossible.
The Royal National Institute for the Blind provide wireless sets for
the blind and these are, for the most part, mains sets. It was decided this
year to change these for transistor battery sets in order to ease the maintenance
problem created by the difficulty in getting parts for the old sets.
This transition has commenced and will be completed as soon as possible.
The Ministry of Labour, in association with various blind welfare
agencies, operate a scheme whereby workers who are able to work as home
workers or in sheltered work-shops have their weekly earnings augmented
to nationally approved levels. Under this scheme further financial assistance
is given with regard to equipment and in the case of sickness. The Borough
is responsible for the payment of these fees.
On 31st December, 1966, there were 423 persons on the register and
Table I is a summary of the changes which have taken place during the
year; Table II illustrates the occupations and accommodation of those
registered as blind or partially sighted: Tables III and IV show the age at
registration of blind and partially sighted cases. Table V gives details of
the diagnoses of those registered as either blind or partially sighted.