Heart-warming Christmas visit for Inverness retirement complex residents
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Youngsters from an Inverness primary school have brought Christmas joy to some sheltered accommodation residents in the city.
More than 21 little ones from the nursery of St Joseph’s RC School recently walked in their Nativity play costumes to Queen Mother House sheltered complex in Balnacraig Road, to meet and entertain residents who live in its 17 flats.
St Joseph’s senior early years practitioner Ailsa Sugden said: “We are making connections with the local sheltered housing scheme as part of our intergenerational learning.
“The children have visited the residents a few times and it has been a great success. We had a fun time singing Christmas tunes and chatting with the residents.
“The visit benefits both groups – some of the residents do not have grandchildren and some of the children including some from abroad, do not have grandparents here.
“We performed a nursery Nativity sing-along for the residents and it was so heart-warming to see the children’s and residents’ faces light up as they sang together in the communal room and then chatted over tea, juice and a biscuit.”
Mrs Sugden explained that she and early years practitioner Jane Stoddart went on a local course under the auspices of Generations Working Together (GWT), a Scotland group where people of all ages particularly the young and old work together to challenge stereotypes, build social cohesion and mutual respect and build stronger communities founded on the assets of all of its members.
She added: “We started the visits in August and it is something that worked out very well.
“I did this with my children when they were at Strathpeffer Primary and my parents were in Strathallan House care home there.”
GWT has developed local intergenerational networks, training opportunities and a library of materials/resources to support and inspire organisations and partners to take action and enhance their intergenerational practice.
