Nursery children visit Sunnymeade Care Home after TV programme inspiration

Emma Sherman, owner of The Lawns Children’s Nursery @ Chard School, decided to strengthen their ties with Sunnymeade Care Home after watching Old People’s Home for Four-Year-Olds.

The scheme, which was also organised by county councillor Amanda Broom, sees 10 children visiting the care home once a week to learn new skills from the residents and also to provide them with more interaction.

Emma said: “Seeing the intergenerational project in operation is inspirational.

“The benefits to the nursery children and the residents are vast in terms of personal, social and emotional development, physical development and literacy skills. Seeing the nursery children and the residents working and playing alongside each other is the most amazing sight.

“We are a month in and highlights include residents running with the children in the garden, a resident reading a story to the whole group, and children and residents working as a team to cut the fruit and vegetables for a joint snack and having the most amazing, confident discussions in a relaxed environment.

“One resident said ‘I have made so many new little friends, full of life and enthusiasm and they are learning so much from us’. Put simply, this project is wonderful and we are truly honoured to be part of it.”

Lisa Wells, deputy manager at Sunnymeade, said it has been “such a delight” to have children from the nursery in their home.

She said: “More and more residents are getting involved every week and we’ve actually got a new day care resident who has specifically arranged to come in on a Thursday, so that she can get involved in the project.”

Councillor Broom said the first few weeks have been incredibly positive for everyone involved with bonds already forming with much laughter.

She said: “I will be keeping the Health and Wellbeing Board at Somerset County Council updated on our progress, and I am hoping that our learnings can be used as a positive example right across Somerset.”