Residents at Barchester Ashchurch View care home in Tewkesbury welcomed a special visit from Year 6 pupils from John Moore Primary School as part of National Storytelling Week.
The visit brought together younger and older generations for an intergenerational storytelling session focused on sharing personal experiences and memories. Pupils spent time speaking with residents about their lives, while also sharing stories of their own, creating conversations that bridged generations and encouraged mutual understanding.
For residents, the sessions provided an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and connect socially, while pupils gained first-hand insight into how life has changed over the years.
Ashchurch View General Manager Samantia Deflorimonte-Rose said the activity formed an important part of the home’s approach to wellbeing.
“Intergenerational activities are an important part of our approach to wellbeing,” she said. “They provide residents with meaningful social interaction and allow younger people to gain insight and understanding that can only come from personal stories. Storytelling Week was an ideal opportunity to bring this together.”
Pupils engaged enthusiastically throughout the sessions, asking questions and listening carefully to the stories being shared. One Year 6 pupil said: “I liked hearing about what their lives were like when they were younger. It was interesting to learn how things have changed and how some things are still the same.”
After the storytelling sessions, residents and pupils continued their conversations over cookies prepared by the home’s head chef, creating a relaxed setting for further interaction.
Ashchurch View said it hopes to continue working with John Moore Primary School to develop future intergenerational projects that benefit residents, pupils and the wider community.