High Hazels children bring laughter and smiles to Sheffield care home

Pupils from High Hazels Primary Academy in Darnall visited the Richmond home - one of the chain operated by not for profit charity Sheffcare - as part of Ignite Imaginations’ Adopt a Care Home scheme.

Ignite Imaginations is the Sheffield arts charity that aims to celebrate and connect communities through art and creativity.

Through its special workshops, they ignite imaginations and support individuals to gain new skills and gain confidence.

The Adopt a Care Home scheme aims to reduce isolation and loneliness, bringing children into the care homes to meet up with residents and together to take part in a range of creative activities, including crafts, movement and dance.

As a result, the project helps increase well-being among residents and pupils, create inter-generational friendships and inspires a dementia-friendly next generation.

“Adopt a Care Home is a lovely project for our residents and pupils from school like High Hazels Academy,” said Sheffcare Dementia and Wellbeing Manager Kathryn Rawling.

“It is very easy to lose a sense of the wider community once you live in a care home but this project brings in children’s laughter and smiles and makes a big difference.

“For the children too it helps them to keep in touch with older people and teaches them respect.

“It really has been a genuine delight to see they way in which the High Hazels children lit up the room with their enthusiasm.

“It feels important to acknowledge that the High Hazels children were lovely to have as visitors and hearing our residents praise them was another piece of magic to come from the day.”