Young and old in Stowmarket community come together again for special art project

Home news

May 31, 2016

To mark the end of the project, everyone involved gathered at the care home on 23rd May for a celebratory tea and a screening of the animated films that residents and school pupils created together.

Over the past 12 weeks, residents and school pupils have been creating poetry, songs and a series of short animation films inspired by their shared memories of favourite childhood games and pastimes. The final animated film was shown to residents and pupils for the first time in the Cedrus House cinema room during the celebratory event. 

Michelle Webster, home manager at Cedrus House, said: “We have really enjoyed the ‘Suffolk at Play’ project with Suffolk Artlink and our young neighbours at Cedars Park Community Primary School. It’s wonderful to see the young and older generations in the Stowmarket community coming together for such a creative and interesting project. Reminiscence has many benefits for older people, particularly those living with dementia, so it is great to see how the project has encouraged this.”

‘Suffolk at Play’ is the second project run by Suffolk Artlink at Cedrus House with Cedars Park Community Primary School, the successful first project called ‘Where We Meet’ ran last autumn. Both projects have strengthened the relationship between the care home and the neighbouring primary school. 

Candida Wingate, project officer at Suffolk Artlink, said: “The children were amazed at some of the things residents got up to when they were young – they expected them to play quietly and be well behaved, but of course they got up to all sorts of mischief. It was lovely seeing the children grow in confidence as they got to know the residents better – and the residents obviously thoroughly enjoyed sharing their stories with the children.”

The final ‘Suffolk at Play’ animated film, created by Cedrus House residents and pupils at Cedars Park Community Primary School, is available to watch at www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/gallery/films. To find out more about Suffolk Artlink and their community projects visit www.suffolkartlink.org.uk.