Fordham care home hosts a sun-sational afternoon with pre-school

A care home in Fordham has partnered with a local pre-school to encourage friendships across the generations.

Residents at Care UK’s Waterhouse Manor, on Soham Road, were joined by children from Fordham Pre-School for a fun afternoon of hands-on creativity. These sessions will now form a regular part of life at the home, with visits from the youngsters every month.  

Together, the residents and children painted rocks in the home’s garden, basking in the sunshine and forming bonds across generations. Following the activity, the group headed inside to watch interactive animations, where children and residents alike were delighted to follow the actions and sounds.

Jean Carter, 94-year-old resident at Waterhouse Manor, said: “It was wonderful to have the children visit. I really enjoyed chatting, watching them play and the lively atmosphere. It was the highlight of my week.”

The partnership between the pre-school and the care home first developed when the team reached out to the pre-school to discuss how residents could form meaningful connections with local youngsters through intergenerational activities. 

Sorcha Rayner, Deputy Manager at Waterhouse Manor, said: “The residents and children had a wonderful time getting creative together, painting the rocks, which are now proudly displayed in our garden, and enjoying the animated interactive stories.

“We’re always looking for meaningful and engaging ways to involve residents in fun activities and to encourage new friendships, and this session was a fantastic opportunity to build special friendships across the generations.

“It was lovely to see the children and the residents’ bonds developing through a shared love of being creative. This was the first of many visits and we’re already looking forward to welcoming the children back very soon!”

Jade James, Manager at Fordham Pre-School, said: ““It was incredibly moving to see the children and residents interacting for the very first time – there was such genuine warmth, curiosity and joy in the room. 

“We are so excited to begin this partnership and to visit every four weeks, giving the children opportunities to build meaningful bonds, develop confidence, and learn valuable social skills. I’m really looking forward to watching these relationships grow over time.”

Waterhouse Manor is a state-of-the-art care home that provides residential and dementia care on a permanent and respite basis. Designed to enable residents to lead active and fulfilling lives, the care home also offers its very own café, cinema room and hair salon as well as plenty of space for relaxation and recreation.