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providing improved medical and educational facilities, and where possible arrangements
are made for short-stay holidays for severely handicapped spastic children unaccompanied
by either parent.
Some of the Spastics who have had training and experience at the Work Centre have
gained sufficient confidence to obtain outside employment; others more severely handicapped
have been provided with work at home.
Charitable appeals for money are constantly made to ensure the continuation of the
Society's work and efforts are being made to secure larger and more permanent premises
so that those Spastics who are at present virtually housebound can also be brought to the
Society's Training and Work Centre.
Negotiations are proceeding for the acquisition of a leasehold site at Northwood Hills
for a new large and well equipped Centre, and the Society is appealing to all the local
authorities served for financial help with this project.
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 1964, there were resident in the Borough 116 blind and 20 partially-sighted persons.
There were four blind children attending Special Schools. Six blind persons were in fulltime
employment, and one in part-time employment. Of these, one was in a Workshop
for the Blind. The earnings of this person were augmented by the County Council. Two
blind people attended the Cookery Class at Norwood Hall.
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 full and active lives
by assisting them in overcoming the effects of their disabilities.
The majority of blind persons are either not able to take employment owing to age
or infirmity, or for some reason are not available for employment. Amongst the latter are
housewives who may receive instruction from the Home Teachers in carrying out their
household duties in their own homes or in special classes 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 37 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 1964 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.
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