The Miners’ Welfare Commission. 3. (Extracts from a 1945 booklet). Social Well-being and Recreation. Section 20 (1) of the Mining Industry Act, 1920, reads: "There shall be constituted a fund to be applied for purposes connected with the social well-being, recreation and conditions of living of workers in and about coal mines...." This is the bare legal definition of the purposes of the output levy from which is derived that part of the fund intended, primarily, for the welfare of miners outside the precincts of the colliery. This definition has been broad enough to include a rich diversity of welfare provisions ranging from convalescent homes to bagpipes for a band of kilted miners; from glass eyes and artificial limbs to institutes and community centres. These all come within the definition of welfare, and the right to choose how best to fulfil local needs has lain, within wide limits, with the miners themselves. Welfare has always been a matter of choice by the community; not something imposed arbitrarily from outside. But the words "social well-being" suggested to many a meeting place; somewhere to be sociable, where there would be scope for recreation and relaxation. Somewhere in which leisure hours might be spent in pleasant contact not only with one's fellows, but with all in the mining community. The miner himself, especially if he is getting on in years, likes a quiet game of cribbage, dominoes or billiards, and somewhere to read the newspapers and periodicals or to find a book, or, in the summer, perhaps, a game of bowls --- at any rate something not too strenuous. The young men seek something more active: football, cricket or tennis. The boys, too, need premises for their particular activities, and the children somewhere to play undisturbed. These many needs have all been met, to a greater or lesser extent, by the Miners' Welfare Institute and recreation ground. In all some 1,500 schemes have been provided at a cost of £5,950,000. Not that there is any uniformity either in their size or distribution. The "Welfare," as it is most commonly known, may be a small hut, with a billiards table and a games room. It may, on the other hand, be a much more imposing building, such as shown on the preceding page, where, besides the club section for the men, there is a large hall for social functions, committee rooms and perhaps a library. It may even be a centre in the real sense; a building of conspicuous architectural merit for leisure-time activities of members of the community of all ages and both sexes, such as dances, concerts, plays, discussions, gymnastics and cinema. Some institutes cater only for men. In others, the women and children are entertained, perhaps on high days and holidays only. A few house an active Woman's Guild for there has, in recent years, been a marked tendency towards a fuller use of the "Welfare." While this was noticeable in peace time, the war has unquestionably proved the value of an institute which does not cater for men only, but makes its hospitality a real family affair. Again the best types of institutes are not used merely for recreation. In them educational and cultural activities reach a high standard; these fulfil a particularly valuable social purpose. But it is in the community centre, where all these things are found to be at there best. In such buildings --- and they need really to be designed specially for the purpose --- the men's club, the womens' guild, the boys' club, besides other things, all have their own accommodation and share a spacious hall and buffet restaurant. Here welfare activities are really communal, each sectional interest benefiting from the support of the others; and all combine to make well-being a live and vigorous reality. Such a comprehensive welfare scheme, although the ideal expression of a "purpose connected with the social well-being," can only be supported by a fairly concentrated mining population. But it is more than an ideal it is a target for the future. In the meantime, the "Welfare," large or small, merely a men's club or an all-embracing social rendezvous, will continue to give a great service to the mining community.