New Relationships Flourish in Global Intergenerational Week

Belong Morris Feinmann's Bob Taylor models one of the session's creations

New Relationships Flourish in Global Intergenerational Week

Relations between older residents and school pupils in south Manchester have been flourishing this spring as the result of a special crafting get together for Global Intergenerational Week (GIW), championing meaningful connections between ages.

Belong Morris Feinmann has welcomed a cohort of new friends from nearby Beaver Road Primary School for a fun session creating Mexican hanging hearts.

Facilitated by volunteers, Linda Price and Lesley Sher, participants exercised their artistic flair cutting, sticking and sewing the hearts into shape, before helping one another out tying tassels and adding gems. Set to add a splash of colour to the village’s reception area, the keepsakes serve as a symbol of the newly forged companionships, taking inspiration from traditional Latin American values of love and community.

Comments from the pupils included: “I really enjoyed this.” – Amira; “That lady is my friend!” – Hugo; “I want to go back soon!” – Hanna.

Emma Holmes, head of nursery at Beaver Road Primary School, said: “What a feeling of warmth and welcome in this beautiful place – we were thrilled to be at Belong Morris Feinmann. Intergenerational mixing is really important to us and within five minutes everyone was working together, all natural, nothing curated, it is wonderful to see.”

In recent times, intergenerational experiences have become increasingly prevalent in leading care facilities, with operators promoting the fostering of emotional bonds, a mutual sense of purpose, and joy for both age groups. Additionally, it serves to help reduce loneliness in older people, particularly those without family close by.

Angela Luckett, experience and cultural coordinator at Belong Morris Feinmann, added: “Our wonderful friendship with Beaver Road marks the latest with a local school and our customers have delighted in interacting with the children – they keep on asking when the next meet-up will be! Intergenerational relationships play a vital role in society, and so we have enshrined them within our approach to dementia care.”

Other ventures at Belong Morris Feinmann include its series of Morris Minors stay-and-play sessions welcoming babies with their parents, and its weekly Book Buddies reading club with neighbouring Moor Allerton Preparatory School. Last year, the initiative was recognised by Manchester City Council and featured in its GIW campaign showcasing notable projects from across the county.