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Women's Voluntary Service:
The Women's Voluntary Service is very active in Southall, and amongst the many
services given by its members the following are particularly connected with Welfare:—
Clerical work in all three clinics in Southall; provision of a Trolley Shop in both
Southall-Norwood and Mount Pleasant Hospitals; issue of batteries for deaf aids in Southall
Hospital; making out-patients' teas on clinic days in Southall Hospital; taking the telephone
trolley round Southall Hospital for patients' use; help in the X-ray department with the
filing at Southall Hospital; issue of Welfare Foods from W.V.S. Office.
Welfare of the Blind and Partially Sighted:
The Welfare services for the blind and partially-sighted are the responsibility of the
County Council under the National Assistance Act, 1948.
In 1962 there were resident in the Borough 88 blind and 17 partially-sighted persons.
There were 3 partially-sighted children attending Special Schools, and 1 blind child aged 4
years, at home. Eleven blind persons were in full-time employment. Of these, 2 were in
Workshops for the Blind, and 1 was working as a Home Worker. The earnings of these 3
persons were augmented by the County Council.
The County Council's Welfare Department provides a Home Teaching service, the
object of which is to enable blind and partially-sighted people to lead as full and active lives
as their handicap allows, by assisting them in overcoming the effects of their disabilities.
The majority of blind persons are either not capable of employment owing to age or
infirmity, or for some reason are not available for employment. Amongst the latter are
housewives who may receive instruction in carrying out their household duties from the
Home Teachers or in residential courses of social rehabilitation.
The Home Teachers visit all blind and partially-sighted persons in their own homes, in
hospitals and in residential homes, advise on all problems relating to their welfare and keep
them in touch with available social services. They give instruction in Braille and Moon
systems of embossed type, and in handicrafts. Deaf-Blind persons also receive the services
of a special Home Teacher for the Deaf-Blind. A handicraft class is held fortnightly at the
King's Hall Methodist Church, South Road, Southall.
Close co-operation is maintained between the County Council and Voluntary Organisations,
including the Social Club for the Blind, which holds fortnightly meetings at the
Labour Hall, The Broadway, Southall, and the Middlesex Association for the Blind,
which assists individual necessitous blind people and maintains a holiday home at Littlehampton,
two holiday caravans at Lancing, and two Residential Homes for the Blind.
The Southall Blind Club has a membership of 32 with an average age of 73, and transport
to Club meetings is carried out by members of Southall Round Table and Inner Wheel.
The Club is social and in 1962 also ran two coach outings and a Christmas party.
Blind persons are eligible for the loan of a wireless receiver through the British "Wireless
for the Blind" Fund, and the County Council has a scheme for assisting blind and
partially-sighted persons with the maintenance of wireless sets.
Other services are provided by the County Council either directly or through a registered
agency and these include facilities for the placement of blind persons in employment,
courses of residential rehabilitation, training courses for mothers with blind babies, the
supply of embossed literature, special equipment and handicraft materials, assistance in the
disposal of handicrafts and assisted holidays for those in need.
Welfare of Handicapped Persons other than Blind:
Schemes for the welfare of handicapped persons other than blind and partially-sighted
which are operated by the County Council's Welfare Department under the National
Assistance Act, 1948, provide welfare services for the deaf and dumb and hard-of-hearing,
and other persons who are substantially and permanently handicapped by disease, injury
or congenital deformity.
Services to the deaf-and-dumb and the hard-of-hearing are provided by appropriate
Voluntary Organisations, to which the County Council makes grants in aid.
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