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Adult Training
Centres
While the number of trainees at North Birkbeck only increased by one during the year,
Queen's Road Centre, where there is still spare capacity, added six to its roll and a steady
increase may be expected to go on for a number of years yet.
There has been a very good flow of orders for the handicraft workshops which speaks
well for the standard of work carried out. During the year Queen's Road was able to take
advantage of the co-operation of the Education Department and start pottery classes in their
premises which form part of the same group of buildings.
Swimming classes were started for the Queen's Road trainees at Walthamstow and
continued at Leyton High Road Baths which are within walking distance.
The educational classes have been expanded to take many more trainees and this has
been found beneficial, particularly for those with the higher grades of mental retardation.
In September 30 trainees and 6 staff from both Centres went to Dymchurch Holiday
Camp for a week. The trainees benefited greatly and gained much confidence while away from
home, learning to do things for themselves, while the parents gained a welcome break and rest
for the week. Also in September there was an outing to Maiden for a day which the trainees
thoroughly enjoyed.
January saw the Birkbeck Centre going to the Wembley Ice Show once again, to the
delight of the trainees.
We have now enlarged our Essex Training Centres Sports Competition to 6 teams and
have organised weekly football, cricket and netball games throughout the year for the trainees.
In the Essex Centres Annual Sports at Waltham Forest, the combined team from Queen's Road
and Birkbeck Road Centres was successful in winning the trophy for scoring most points.
In all of our activities we feel that we have ended the year on a higher level than we
started and look forward confidently to making continued progress in the future.
Work Centre for
the Physically
Handicapped
This was a year of progress at Roberts Hall during which some have come to
think of the Centre as a way of life, as well as a place where we can offer sheltered occupation.
All sections of the Centre have been active; the woodwork shop has been working flat
out to keep pace with the order book. A very gratifying side to this particular shop is that the
more able bodied workers carry out alterations and adaptations for the needs of other handicapped
persons found by our own social welfare staff, and also for other boroughs for use by
disabled persons less fortunate than themselves.
The Manager justifiably gained great satisfaction in convincing The Plessey Co. Ltd.,
after three months talking and organising during which time he took one of the young women in
his car to the factory to be trained, that disabled people if given the chance could be usefully
employed. They finally put equipment worth £400 in the Centre. To date the job has earned the
Centre over £2,000.
Another first for the year was the formation of the Roberts Hall League of Friends.
Although it is early days for them yet they have bought three very useful items of equipment.
This is something that is sure to benefit the Centre in the coming year.
During the year three afternoon concerts were enjoyed. There was an evening at the
Kingfisher Night Club, a good meal and cabaret; it was even possible to hold a dance and the
final function of the year was the Christmas Party.
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