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16
BLIND PERSONS ACT, 1920.
There are now 144 technically blind persons known to belong
to the Borough, 37 of whom are either children at Blind Schools
or men and women at workshops, and these are visited during their
holidays.
During the past year the Home Visitor has paid 1,699 daily
visits, 118 evening visits and meetings, and 354 lessons, of which
148 were in cane basket work, 73 in Braille, 52 in knitting, 48 in
crochet and 33 in woollen ball making.
The remainder of the blind are visited regularly and assisted
to obtain free wireless licences and blind pensions.
Many of them were able to show goods on the stall at Civic
Week Exhibition held in October, to their benefit, as over 600
orders were taken for basket work, knitting, weaving, crochet,
mat-making, etc., and the majority were executed and delivered
before Christmas.
Good work continues to be done by the members of the Local
Welfare Association. Necessitous cases are promptly dealt with
and every effort taken to make the lives of the blind brighter, such
as summer outings, social evenings and supplying parcels at
Christmas.
Grants for clothing, extra nourishment, etc., are made as
cases are brought to the notice of the officers.
INVALID CHILDREN'S AID ASSOCIATION
(East Ham Branch).
The year has been marked by a steady increase in all directions
and an increased number of cases (269) has been dealt with.
A great proportion of the cases required lengthy periods of
convalescence, and a considerably increased income has enabled
the Association to meet all legitimate demands.
During the 3¼ years of the work of the Branch 587 children
from all parts of the Borough have been assisted.
The co-operation with the Public Health Committee has again
resulted in an increased number of cases being recommended for
Sanatorium or Institutional Treatment through the agency of the
Association. A serious factor has presented itself in the number
of children suffering from Rheumatism and Chorea, with heart
complications.