Care Home Residents and Sixth Form Students Gear Up For Wimbledon in Indoor Tennis Match

As the Wimbledon Tennis Championships gets underway, residents at a care home and sixth form students have continued their long-standing friendship by doing battle in a game of “balloon tennis”.

Preventing the need for any rain covers, Signature at Ascot’s main lounge transformed itself into the home’s centre court, as residents welcomed students from St George’s School in Ascot.

The “home” team took the spoils, with its team counting on the experience and deft touch of 103-year-old Signature at Ascot resident, Barbara Wood.

The match, which featured mixed teams, adds to the school’s volunteering work which has seen St George’s students visit the Burleigh Road care home at multiple points throughout the year.

Both sets of generations have shared visits throughout the year, and has seen them take part in exercise activities, play card games together and more recently swap Easter gifts.

Tracy Campbell, Client Liaison Manager at Signature at Ascot, said:
“Seeing two sets of very different generations continue to spend quality time together is richly rewarding.

“It is very clear how much both students and residents enjoy these visits, and the students could not believe how fit and strong our ladies were for their individual ages.

“We look forward to welcoming St George’s School back to our home very soon.”

Bernadette Rivet, a resident at Signature at Ascot, said: “It was very enjoyable to welcome St George’s students who are always welcome here.

“Spending time with them is great fun, particularly when we have played games and taken part in activities together over the past year.

“Some of the players taking to the Wimbledon courts over the next fortnight would’ve been impressed by our tennis match!”

A St George’s School spokesperson said “Our Sixth Form girls so look forward to their weekly visits to Signature and love connecting with the residents, hearing their stories and just having some fun together. It feels like an oasis in their school world!”