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27
Child Welfare.
The voluntary Centre of the Richmond Infants Health Association,*
of which Mrs, Gates is the Honorary Superintendent,
has been held, as for some years past, in St. Paul's Hall, Raleigh
Road, each Thursday afternoon from 2.30 to 4 o'clock.
Three hundred and eleven mothers and 383 infants have
attended the Welcome during the year; the total number of
attendances of the mothers being 4,137.
The average attendance of mothers weekly has been 90; that
of the children 100.
The attendance at the Centre has been maintained, and in
fact of late has increased; for the first time recently the attendance
of mothers has been over 100.
A movement among the mothers themselves should be recorded
as it may grow to be of importance. Several of the old members
whose children have reached school age have agreed to maintain
their connection with the Welcome by "adopting" a baby whose
mother cannot herself bring it, and the Committee have decided
that any member so adopting a child is to count as its mother and
to be eligible for all prizes or advantages that would fall to the lot
of the real mother.
The activities of the Centre include:—
Weighing of Infants.
One hundred and forty individual babies were weighed ; the
total number of weighings was 880.
Weekly Lectures.
Forty lectures, &c., were given, of which 26 related directly to
health topics.
* For much of the information relating to the Centre I am indebted to Mrs. Gates.