Edinburgh care homes team up with school for DIY project

Three Edinburgh care homes have joined forces with local school children as part of a nationwide initiative to prevent DIY skills from being forgotten.

Residents at Care UK’s Murrayside, in Corstorphine, Cairdean House, in Colinton, and Lauder Lodge, in Portobello have been rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into some hands-on DIY – all in the name of sharing skills with the next generation.

As part of Care UK’s ‘Fixer Uppers’ programme, Lauder Lodge teamed up with the Ripple Project to create bee hotels, while Cairdean House welcomed Colinton School Children for a hands-on session building bird feeders to help nurture garden wildlife.

 At Murrayside, residents took part in an upcycling project, transforming old furniture into something new and showcasing their creativity and craftsmanship.

Resident Blanche, 91, said: “I enjoyed having the company of the children. They had so much enthusiasm.

“It was also great being creative - it took me back to my youth.”

Resident Betty, 87, said: “I really enjoyed the children's energy and being able to do something productive with my hands. I like to be kept busy.”

Resident Moira, 89, said: “The children were such fun, so polite and well mannered.”

Suzanne Welsh, Home Manager at Murrayside, said: “Residents have honed their DIY skills over a lifetime, and the Fixer Uppers’ project has been a fantastic way for them to share practical knowledge in a meaningful way.

“It was wonderful to see everyone fully engaged and residents swapping stories, learning from one another, and genuinely enjoying the process.”

Anees Riaz, Home Manager at Lauder Lodge, added: “We’d like to thank the Ripple Project for coming to the home to build bee hotels. It was a brilliant afternoon, and we look forward to many more visits in the future.”

Launched to celebrate International Repair Day, the initiative aims to revive traditional repair skills – such as fixing furniture, mending clothes and tackling small maintenance jobs – and champion the invaluable knowledge older generations can pass on while promoting sustainability.

To find out more about Fixer Uppers, please visit: careuk.com/Fixer-Uppers 

Cairdean House, Lauder Lodge and Murrayside have been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The homes have been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents. There is also plenty of space, both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.