A fun packed day intergenerational sports day recently took place with early years children, looked after by local childminders, and residents of the Bethesda Care Home in Torquay.

Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Cllr Cordelia Law, said: “This was a great day and is a great example of the wonderful things that can happen when you bring young children and older adults together.

“Over the last two years, our Torbay Early Years Advisory Team has encouraged and supported residential care homes and nursing homes in Torbay to engage in developing an intergenerational approach.

“The benefits of intergenerational learning are far-reaching, with research evidencing the positive impact that these programmes have on children, older adults, and the wider community.”

Linda Prain, Wellbeing Assistant, from Bethesda Christadelphian Care Home, who helped organised the event, said: “It was a fantastic day with participants ranging from one to 102 years old!

“The process of having fun and making friends seemed far more important than the competition itself. However, when the children were paired up with the residents to take part in the walking race, the children certainly encouraged the residents to go faster, with their walking frames, than they normally would.”

Having young children visit Bethesda Care Home has proved to be very popular with the residents and they are now planning to start a walking club with local childminders so that they can enjoy each other’s company. The residents will be driven to local places across the Bay, and the childminders and children will meet them there.

Over fifteen care homes across Torbay are now engaging in visits from early years providers. The providers bring children to the care home settings where they meet residents and undertake a range of activities together.