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(7) The provision of volunteer workers to travel to and
from hospital with sick, aged, blind people or children,
and to give regular blanket baths to the sick.
(8) The supply of instructors in first aid for Civil Defence
volunteers, adult and youth groups.
(9) Red Cross Home for the aged. Administration of Red
Cross Convalescent Home for Patients from the Geriatric
Ward at West Middlesex Hospital.
(10) Attendance at permanent and temporary First Aid Posts
when required.
WELFARE OF THE BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED
The County Council is responsible, under the National Assistance Act, 1948,
for the provision of welfare services for the blind and partially-sighted.
There are resident in the Borough 104 blind and 28 partially-sighted persons.
16 of these are in full-time employment; 2 in Workshops for the Blind
and 3 as Home Workers, receiving augmentation and supplementation of earnings
from the County Council. The remainder are not available for, or are not capable
of, training or employment, owing to age or infirmity or for some other reason.
There are also 6 partially-sighted and 6 blind children under the age of 16
years, 10 of whom are at Special Schools. In addition, two partially-sighted
persons between the ages of 16 and 20 are receiving further education and one
blind person is in training.
The County Council provides a Home Teaching service for the visitation of
blind and partially-sighted people in their own homes, the object of which is
to enable partially-sighted and blind people to lead as full and active lives
as their handicap allows. The duties of the Home Teachers include advising blind
and partially-sighted persons on all problems relating to their welfare and of
all the available social services, to assist them in overcoming the effects of
their disabilities, to give instruction in the Braille and Moon systems of raised
type, in handcrafts, and, where appropriate, in the deaf-blind manual alphabet
A handcraft class is held fortnightly at the Area Welfare Sub-Office, 14a Sutton
Court Road,Chiswick.
A County Council Old Time Dancing Class for the Blind is held weekly in
Ealing and a number of blind residents in the Borough attend. The County Council
works in close co-operation with Voluntary Organisations, including the Social
Club for the Blind which meets fortnightly at the Christ Church Hall, Turnham
Green, and the Middlesex Association for the Blind, who maintain a Holiday Home
at Littlehampton, two Residential Homes for the Blind, and assist individual
necessitous blind persons.
The British Wireless for the Blind Fund supplies wireless sets to registered
blind persons through the County Council which maintains all sets for blind and
partially-sighted persons.
Other services provided directly by the County Council or through a Registered
agency, 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 handcraft
materials, assistance in the disposal of handcrafts, and assisted holidays for
those in need.
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