Schoolchildren join Orpington care home for journey into Christmases past

Old festive traditions have come to life at a care home in Orpington, where residents welcomed a local school for a day of seasonal activities. 

Care UK’s Foxbridge House, on Sevenoaks Road, joined forces with young visitors from Warren Road Primary School to revisit customs from Christmases past.

The children donned their best festive jumpers to take part in a vintage card-making crafting workshop.

The residents and pupils designed and crafted their own unique Christmas cards, sharing their creations with one another. A few children even addressed their cards to the residents they had worked with during the workshop, spreading extra seasonal cheer all around.

The home’s chef, Guy, then delighted the guests with some homemade gingerbread men, one to take home and the other creatively decorated by each visitor! 

Resident Rosemary, 89, said: “It was wonderful to see the children’s enthusiasm about visiting Foxbridge House. They chatted about their school, friends and teachers, which brought back so many memories. All of my children and grandchildren went to Warren Road Primary School, so it felt extra special to share this with the school. Keeping old traditions alive is so important, and I absolutely loved the handmade cards and gingerbread men!”

The event was part of Care UK’s ‘Step into Christmas’ initiative, which aims to revive residents’ festive traditions by encouraging them to share memories with the younger generation. 

By blending storytelling, crafts and carol singing, the sessions create a space for meaningful intergenerational connection. 

Stella Barnes, Home Manager at Foxbridge House, said: “Christmas is such a special time of year, and this event allowed us to honour those memories from residents’ childhoods of making their own Christmas cards with their families. 

“It was a wonderful opportunity to bring different generations together for a day of festive cheer. It was truly heartwarming to watch residents reminisce and share stories from Christmases gone by. 

“We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Warren Road Primary School for joining us and making the day so joyous for all involved! Their presence brought an extra sparkle to the day.”

For further information on Step into Christmas, visit careuk.com/Step-into-Christmas.

Foxbridge House has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and enable residents to lead active and fulfilling lives. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care, and has its very own cinema, hair and beauty salon and pub.