Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation

Extracts from the 1968 Annual Report

Welfare Of The Sick And Disabled

In 1968, the expenditure under the headings of 'Welfare of the Sick and Disabled', 'Convalescent Homes and Rehabilitation', totalled £191,880.

The Durham Miners' Rehabilitation Centre, The Hermitage, Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham, acted as hosts for the 10th National Sports Day for Paraplegic Mineworkers. The wives of the competitors were accommodated in hotels in Durham City, whilst the competitors stayed at the Centre. A new format, of individual competitions in a number of activities, was introduced and proved extremely popular. The Archery Open Championship was won by a competitor from Durham after a tie in score with a Yorkshire competitor. A competition for Novice archers saw victory going to a Northern coalfield competitor. This coalfield also provided the winner of the angling competition after a great day's fishing when over 220 fish were caught by the 8 anglers. Scotland chalked up a victory in the Bowls, whilst in Darts a competitor from Nottinghamshire won. The overall team championship also proved a closely fought battle, resulting in a tie between the North-Western and Northern teams. Each team retained the trophy for six months. Sir Sidney Ford, M.B.E, President of the National Union of Mineworkers and Vice-Chairman of the Council, officiated at the prize-giving ceremony. The evening's entertainment was provided by a local concert party and proved a fitting climax to a memorable day.

Medico-Social Service

The Organisation's medico-social service was established in 1957 to serve the special needs of seriously disabled mineworkers. Eleven medico-social workers based throughout the country provide such aid and assistance. The changing pattern of the industry with colliery closures and the consequent social reorganisation often serve to alter the pattern of mining communities. The therapeutic value in these cases, as in fact with many other types of cases, of sympathetic listening cannot be over emphasized. The shedding of mental burdens and worries by patients and even dependants is of inestimable value.

Liaison is maintained with government bodies, various agencies concerned with the welfare of sick and disabled, medical bodies and the National Coal Board and mining Trade Unions. Encouragement is given towards usage of occupational handicraft courses both at home or at one of the specially equipped centres for disabled mineworkers; towards recreational and sporting pursuits; towards independence; towards adjustment to a full and useful life.

Disabled drivers are offered membership of the Automobile Association under the Organisation's bloc membership scheme.

Coalfield Activity

Holidays for paraplegic mineworkers and their families were taken at resorts of their own choice in Scotland, whilst at Christmas parties were held throughout the coalfield. Television sets and washing machines continue to be provided for certain categories of disabled mineworkers.

In the Northern coalfield, archery competitions are held weekly at Ashington Hirst Welfare Scheme and paraplegic mineworkers in Northumberland entertained their counterparts from Durham to a sporting contest in such diverse activities as archery, table tennis, darts, whist and dominoes. This was organised by the men themselves and proved a great success. Other competitions were held at Wallsend-on-Tyne. Twenty-one seriously disabled mineworkers and their families spent two weeks holiday at Filey.

The many and varied activities undertaken at the Social & Crafts Centre for Seriously Disabled Mineworkers, Pontefract, continue to attract maximum support in Yorkshire with approximately 150 regular attenders and many others who through varying circumstances are only able to attend occasionally. Displays of work were held at Swinton Miners' Welfare Scheme, Mexborough Horse Show, Coal House and Doncaster Area Headquarters. The Archery section visited the Platt Bridge Centre, Lancashire, whilst the Annual Fishing Match at the Worsborough Miners' Welfare Scheme proved very popular. One hundred and four seriously disabled mineworkers and their families enjoyed two weeks holiday at Blackpool.

In Lancashire, interest has been maintained in the Disabled Mineworkers Social Centre. The Sports Day with competitions in Archery, D'Archery, Bowls, Snooker, Dominoes and Javelin Throwing, were held with guest competitors from the Yorkshire Disabled Miners' Centre; the Lodge Moor Hospital, Sheffield, and Southport Promenade Hospital. An exhibition of work was held at the Lancashire Miners' Gala and frequent visits are made to miners' welfare institutes throughout the area, where they are warmly received. The three bungalows for paraplegic mineworkers at Blackpool remain fully utilised throughout the. year, whilst other seriously disabled mineworkers and their families spent holidays at Filey and the Derbyshire Miners' Holiday Centre, Skegness.

A tour of the Lincolnshire Bulb Fields was made by a party of paraplegic mineworkers and their families from Nottinghamshire, whilst at the annual miners' festival the display by disabled mineworkers proved extremely popular. In North Derbyshire the Welfare Club for the Permanently Disabled continues at Hasland. Christmas parties were held at the Welfare Club, Chesterfield Miner's Welfare and Ripley Miners' Welfare Schemes. Hampers were also provided for 49 paraplegic mineworkers.

Seriously disabled mineworkers from Staffordshire joined with their counterparts from Warwickshire for two weeks holiday at Skegness. Clubs for paraplegic and seriously disabled are well established in North Staffordshire and Cannock Chase districts with regular monthly meetings at Norton and Lea Hall Miners' Welfare Schemes.

The special facilities for disabled mineworkers at the Rest Convalescent Home, Porthcawl, were fully utilised during the year. In Kent, the first ever paraplegic from the coalfield attended the National Sports Day for Paraplegic Mineworkers.