Sheltered Workshop Scheme Commended

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 26617, 20 June 1958, Page 2

Sheltered Workshop Scheme Commended

The Sheltered Workshop scheme, founded to train physically or mentally handicapped young people who have not been able to earn a living under ordinary conditions in the past, was recommended for full support by the president of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women (Mrs G. W. Fairweather) last evening. “This work seems to me to be one of the most vital needs in the community,” said Mrs Fairweather, who represented the council at the Sheltered Workshop Association’s recent annua] meeting.

After training in the workshop it was hoped that employers would co-operate in finding positions for these young people in industry. At present the workshop is temporarily housed in a room lent to the association by the Canterbury and West Coast branch of the Crippled Children Society. Building Given

The Canterbury Education Board has given a prefabricated classroom of 30ft by 28ft to the association. This building is now standing in the grounds of the Addington School and a site for it has been made available at the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-estab-lishment League in Ricearton. The building would be fenced off with its own entrance and would operate separately from the league’s centre, said Mrs Fairweather. The Education .Department had agreed to remove the classroom from the Addington School grounds to the new site, she said. t Need For Funds “But the association needs about £3OOO for renovations, alterations and equipment to establish the new premises,” Mrs Fairweather

said. “The work cannot expand until this is done.”

Organisations affiliated to the National Council of Women could make donations for equipment and subscriptions to the organisation. The association needed many more members to contrioute to its funds. The association was looking for a man willing to give about two hours one afternoon a week to help the workers. He would need to be someone interested in this community effort and useful with his hands, she said.

“I feel the council should always be represented at the annual meeting of the Sheltered Workshop Association. It has the beginnings of a most efficient organisation and the council should do all it can to help develop this fine project,” Mrs Fairweather said .