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WELFARE OF OLD PEOPLE
There is in the Borough much voluntary activity devoted
to this cause.
The work is co-ordinated through the Surbiton Old People's
Welfare Committee, a voluntary body representative of most walks
of life and presided over by His Worship the Mayor.
The Committee received a considerable stimulous to its
efforts during the year by the leasing to it by the Borough
Council of a large house which, after extensive works of repair
and re-decoration, was opened in September as a Centre for old
people, including club rooms, recreation rooms, handicraft room,
chiropody clinic, canteen, office, etc.
The acquisition of this property should enable the
Committee to expand its activities which cover such things as
chiropody service, weekly clubs, daily centre, seaside holidays,
distribution of Christmas gifts and visiting of the house-bound.
A meals on wheels service is operated by the Surbiton
Division of the British Red Cross Society, and the Council makes
a generous contribution towards the cost involved.
The number of subsidised mid-day meals distributed during
the year was 4,463.
The Borough Council has provided twenty-eight special
flatlets for aged people, and a further sixty such dwellings
are under construction.
CO-ORDINATION OF HEALTH AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES.
In 1957 a committee of the Council was formed to consider
and report upon methods of co-operation between the Town Council
and other bodies concerned with the health and other social
services within the Borough, to assist if required in the
co-ordination of such work, and to examine ways of encouraging
recruitment of more voluntary workers.
The need for such work was indicated by the consideration
of the Housing Committee of the previously published report of
the Working Party of the Surrey County Council on the Prevention
of Break-up of Families.
The work of the Committee will take considerable time and
is divided among three sub-committees which met during the year
(i) Youth Sub-Committee, (ii) Marriage Guidance and Problem
Families Sub-Committee, (iii) Health and Welfare Services.
It is hoped that when the many voluntary social bodies
working in the town know that the Town Council is actively
interested in co-ordinating social welfare, they may more
readily give information on their activities to the Corporation
so that others may learn and assist. By this means all
available effort may be concentrated and directed where need
is greatest.
It is hoped also that the official workers when confronted
with an emergency case which they cannot immediately resolve
may call on voluntary workers to render special emergency help
which otherwise might not have been forthcoming.
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