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82
Voluntary Services
The Harrow Old People's (Voluntary) Committee has a membership
drawn from voluntary organisations interested in promoting the welfare of
the elderly. The Committee receives a monetary grant from and reports to
the Health and Welfare Committee of the Borough.
During the year the work centres for the elderly were transferred to
the administration of the Welfare Section of the Borough services leaving
the Voluntary Committee to manage a Home Visiting Service and the
important Meals Service.
(ii) Home Visiting Service:
Many elderly residents are visited regularly in their own homes by
voluntary workers. Besides bringing friendship and companionship they
also encourage a feeling of "being wanted" and help to dispel loneliness
and depression.
The elderly are often unaware of the services available and in many
instances these voluntary workers have been able to alert the statutory
services to problems readily capable of solution. It is a pity that this
voluntary service is undermanned and many more helpers are urgently
required.
(1) Meals Service: (a) Luncheon Clubs: (b) Meals-on-Wheels Service:
During the year hot midday meals were served at five luncheon club
centres in the Borough. The meals are cooked in a central kitchen and
served in four halls:- the Belmont and North Harrow Assembly Halls,
the South Harrow Baptist Church Hall and Chapel Lane, Pinner. At Tenby
Road Assembly Hall the meals are cooked and served on the premises.
In addition to supplying the luncheon clubs, the central kitchcn
prepares hot midday meals which are served to housebound people in their
own homes through the "Meals-on-Wheels Service" which is staffed by
members of the W.R.V.S.
A sixth luncheon club is expected to open at Churchill Place,
Wealdstone, sometime in 1970. Approximately 110,000 meals were cooked
and served during the year.
Inspection of Private and Voluntary Residential Accommodation
The Borough is responsible under the National Assistance Act 1948 for
inspecting the private and voluntary establishments situated within the
Harrow boundary. The following table gives details of the four voluntary
and ten private homes in Harrow.