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Carshalton Chest and Heart Care Committee
This voluntary Committee originally constituted as the Carshalton
Tuberculosis Care Committee, continued its valuable service in aiding
patients referred from the Chest Clinics. This social service functions outside
the statutory schemes in ways which the latter cannot adopt. Chest patients
are invariably chronic sufferers with prolonged periods of incapacity. Their
families are subjected to considerable economic distress in consequence.
Help is given in ways too numerous to mention but the following are
the commonest forms of assistance:—
Grants of clothing, bedding, fuel, and fuel appliances, materials for
occupational therapy, radio and television licences.
Provision of rail and coach fares, holidays.
Christmas gifts—outings for children.
Loans for purchase of individual means of transport.
Income during the year was £503 and disbursements £424, the latter
figure including £18 9s. 4d. administrative expenses.
Carshalton Old People's Welfare Committee
In the space of 7 years, since it was first established, this voluntary
Committee has continued to make steady progress in meeting the many and
varied needs of the old people of the district. The importance of having
such an organisation is emphasised by the fact that in the last 10 year
intercensal period the proportion of people in Carshalton aged 60 years and
over has risen from 12% to 18% of the total population.
The services so far established include Meals on Wheels with the aid of
W.V.S., a chiropody scheme, a home visiting scheme, and with the help
of the Darby and Joan Club in Cooper Crescent attendance at the Club's
centre for the house-bound who are transported there by the Committee's
own vehicle.
The Committee is making a special effort by means of a systematic
survey of the district to ascertain the existence of the old people of the
district and to bring to their notice the many ways in which the Committee
can help. A generous grant is made by the District Council and the County
Council give financial help in respect of the chiropody scheme.
The income of the Committee during 1963 was £1,757 and the expenditure,
including the acquisition of a new van, was £2,177.