Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Brentford and Chiswick]
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Old Folks Friendship Club
This is a specially built club house opened in April, 1955, for the use as
a social and recreational centre of old age pensioners living in Brentford and
Chiswick The club is open Monday to Friday from 1-5 p.m. and there is an
organiser in attendance Central heating has been a great boon for the Club
members during the winter The old people are enrolled as members at their
first attendance, membership costs only one penny per week, and there are now
320 names on the register this figure compares with 250 in 1962 The members
can visit every day, if they wish, for rest room or reading room facilities, or
just to meet their friends and talk but many social occasions are provided for
them in the way of concerts, whist drives, etc A television set is installed
in the lounge a radiogram in the concert hall and a large billiard table is
provided for the male members Light refreshments are available This club
also arranges summer outings (of which there were four in 1963) and an annual
Christmas party Three visits to West End Theatres at a cheap price were arrang
ed during the Christmas season
Through this club the members are also able to obtain information about
the special services at reduced rates which are available within the Borough for
them such as laundry, shoe repairs and hairdressing and they can be given
advice on any difficulties that occur in their private lives A special blend
of tea, a milk beverage, and a meat extract are also available at economical
prices Members living alone are encouraged to make use of the SOS card
scheme, and have the card ready and completed with personal details for window
display should an emergency occur
This is the only club premises open daily for the use of old age pensioners
but there are other clubs meeting in different parts of the Borough once a week
to which mobile old age pensioners become attached as members, for social and
recreational purposes
Brentford Old Folks Social Club
This club meets every Wednesday 1.30 p.m. - 5 p.m. and has about 130 members
The meetings are social with periodic visiting entertainers There were
two free outings in 1963 also a free tea once per month and two annual parties
Old Age Pensions Association (Brentford Branch)
The membership of this Club is 98 There is a weekly meeting of a social
nature (average attendance 86) with occasional Concert Parties and other social
events A free whole day outing a number of half-day outings an annual tea,
a Christmas dinner and two theatre outings were held in 1963 The Association
runs a penny a week savings club for sickness and deaths
Old Age Pensions Association (Chiswick Branch)
This association has a membership of 130 and meets weekly for social purposes
A free annual outing and Christmas Tea Party are held, and in 1963
additional outings were arranged and paid for by the members of the Association
themselves Visiting of sick members is undertaken by officers and members of
this club
Other Societies
Several of the societies whose functions are classified elsewhere in this
report contribute to a very considerable extent to the Welfare of the Elderly,
i e the British Red Cross Association the St John Ambulance Brigade, the
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