Bridging the generation gap in Exeter

Inter-generational activities are beneficial for everyone. We spent some time at Maynard School with our customers interacting with the children.

Having regularly worked with the Maynard School over the past three years, our Bluebird Care team and customers alike, were delighted to invited back. The pupils welcomed us with open arms, putting on a fantastic performance of songs and playing board games in groups, followed by tea and cake with our team and customers. 

As part of this intergenerational event, our Bluebird Care customers had the opportunity to share their stories of growing up around the city; sharing how times have changed and delighting the children by showing them a number of photos from times gone by, which seemed to capture their interest and evoke lots of questions about what school life was like in the past. 

Steve Smerdon, Head of the Junior School says: 

“It has been wonderful to have the children genuinely buzzing with stories and excitement from the afternoon and to hear carers saying how animated and invigorated some of their quieter clients have been during the visit.”

He continued: “I have to say that these are some of my favourite events of the year and it is a great pleasure to see the girls chatting so freely to our Bluebird visitors and to witness the evident enjoyment of our guests at spending time with our students. It always reaffirms the lack of inhibition of youth as the children engage so easily with a much older generation, something that we adults can sometimes lose as we mature and become more self-conscious.”

One of our customers, whose wife was a student at the Maynard School during the 1930s, showed the students several photographs of how the school looked during his wife’s school days, along with a number of mementos of her time at the school. This was something that the children loved hearing about; learning more about the history behind their school and how it has changed over the years. 
The aim of the visit was to provide our Bluebird Care customers with the opportunity to spend time with people of a different generation. 
As shown in the popular Channel 4 television show, ‘Old People’s Home For 4-Year-Olds’, there are various benefits to intergenerational interaction. Care Assistant, Chelsea, who helped to organise the event, said: 
“I had such an amazing time visiting The Maynard School, seeing our customers flourish in the company of the children was fantastic. My heart grew with every second of the afternoon; it was incredible seeing our customers’ faces light up.”
Break out:

Bluebird Care Exeter, Exmouth, East and West Devon run a number of free wellbeing events for their customers each month. This includes visits to Withycombe and Honiton Primary  Schools. At Bluebird Care, we believe that wellbeing events help to: 
•    Combat loneliness
•    Make friends
•    Aid fitness
•    Bring people together
•    Improve mental health 
•    Encourage community cohesion