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Many volunteers are involved in regular long-term work such as driving handicapped
people to Roberts Hall, helping with the classes for the blind, at Essex Hall and weighing
babies at the clinics.
Others are needed for supportive work, - sitting regularly with a sick or handicapped
person to allow a relative a few hours break.
Children of unsupported mothers are collected from school, given tea, and looked
after until Mother arrives home from work.
There is a very great need for transport:-
To take the elderly, handicapped lady to view possible new council accommodation.
To take the father, with three children under three to St.Anne's Hospital, Tottenham,
for outpatient treatment.
To collect a small boy three times a week from Finchley and take him back to school
at Loughton.
To take the elderly man to a Home in Kent.
To take the young man suffering from multiple sclerosis to his office until his
Invacar is ready.
and many others.
Most journeys are local, some involve travelling to London hospitals, others involve
drivers travelling as far as Clacton, Westgate and Southend.
Several holidays were arranged for needy families and elderly people. Some were
paid for by local Rotary Clubs and others by a Trust which allows us a certain amount of
money for this purpose each year.
It is encouraging to see so many young people in our schools interested in voluntary
work. Last year 28 homes were decorated and the figure should be much higher this year. In
most cases the Department of Health and Social Security will pay for the cost of the materials
if we can find the voluntary labour.
The transport strike in October presented quite a challenge to our resources. For six
weeks volunteer drivers using their own cars, delivered over 700 meals a day to help keep
the Meals-on-Wheels service in operation. Drivers also delivered some of the emergency
sick-room equipment.
Five volunteers helped at Heathcote Lodge during the Christmas holiday when the
Home was faced with an acute staff shortage.
This increase in our work resulted, of course, in heavily increased expenses and a
large deficit in our budget. By August we had reached crisis point. To cope with the work
we were faced with the urgent need to provide another telephone and to extend our office
hours.
An emergency meeting with the Medical Officer of Health resulted in a recommendation
to the Council,who responded by making an immediate grant to balance our accounts
until the end of the year and by promising substantial grant-aid for the coming year.
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