Mayor of Watford visits Courtland Lodge
MAYOR OF WATFORD PETER TAYLOR AND CLLR TIM WILLIAMS ATTEND THEIR FIRST INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITY SESSION AT COURTLAND LODGE
On Friday 8th March 2019, children from Kingswood Nursery School in Watford went along to the regular Friday morning session with their elderly friends at Courtland Lodge care home in Watford.
The pre-school age children arrive by mini-bus every Friday morning at Courtland Lodge and the excited faces appear at the mini-bus windows waving,…… whilst inside in the warm the elderly residents are nodding and poking once another saying “they’re here, the children are here”. It is truly a wonderful project bringing two very different groups of people together whose lives seem so worlds apart. Yet once together they all beam with gratitude for seeing one another again.
The friends join together for ‘singing with actions’ led by the wonderfully musically talented Sarah from Kingswood Nursery School. Both the Mayor Peter Taylor and Councillor Tim Williams were keen to join. The children approach the residents to hold hands for some of the songs and sing together. Following this everyone moved to the tables for some arts and craft together. They help each other with cutting shapes, gluing and circling one another’s birthdays on the calendars they were making. Last week was Sylvia's birthday and of course the children all sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. Sylvia exclaimed that 'it was the best birthday she had had in years'!
Bernice Jackson, Headteacher at Kingswood Nursery School commented on the project: “Every aspect of this project has been rewarding. The children have gained so much from having time out of school, going somewhere different and of course mixing with people of different ages. We have seen a different side to some of them - wonderful to observe their confidence grow!”
“We are grateful that Mayor Peter Taylor and Cllr Tim Williams took the time to visit us today and see how the project was going. It also gave me an opportunity to personally thank Cllr Tim Williams for helping us access the funds that enable us to have use of the mini-bus on Friday’s, we are all so grateful for this.”
“I believe our elderly friends have similarly benefited. I noticed in the entrance hall today that some of the residents had written messages about how special their home is and on Henry's card it said it was 'special because the nursery children visit'!”
“Sincere thanks must go to Sarah (our wonderful musician!), Aude and Tina, the activities coordinators from Courtland Lodge, who work so hard to make this happen each week”.
Maria Ball, Chief Executive of non for profit care provider Quantum Care said: “It is really lovely to hear the wonderful stories of the friendships that have been formed through intergenerational projects throughout our homes in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex. Children appear to relate to the elderly without judgement and with ease and in return the residents have time to listen in a way that most people don't in this busy world. Quantum Care has been doing this for some time now and many of our homes have regular weekly sessions, some include ‘Book Buddies’, reading to one another and others are mother and toddler groups being held in the homes. The engagement is amazing!”