Fettes College Pupils Bring Joy to Scottish Care Home
Residents of an Edinburgh care home have spoken warmly about the benefits of interacting with pupils from one of Scotland’s top independent schools.
Under a new intergenerational initiative, students from Fettes College visit Renaissance Care’s Letham Park home to spend time with residents.
The first visit took place in May, with eight students spending “a very happy day” at Letham Park.
Residents have also been treated to singing and instrumental performances by Fettes students who are members of a touring community music group.
Intergenerational visits involve school pupils spending time at local care homes to socialise and take part in activities with older adults.
They are regarded as highly beneficial in helping combat loneliness and breaking down age-related barriers within local communities.
James Kay, 69, who moved into Letham Park last year, said the visits “bring a lot of enjoyment and a positive atmosphere to the home”.
“The students from Fettes College are very pleasant, friendly and helpful. I particularly enjoyed listening to them play the piano and sing, and they spent time talking with residents across all the units, which was greatly appreciated. I always look forward to seeing them and wish they could visit more often. Thank you to all the students for their kindness and happiness they bring to us.”
Fettes College was founded in 1870, and former pupils include Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister and Tilda Swinton, the Oscar-winning actress.
The school’s partnership with Letham Park is the latest addition its growing Community Engagement Programme, which encourages pupils to support environmental improvement projects throughout Edinburgh, visit primary schools and care homes, and work with a range of community organisations.
Yvonne Mitchell, Director of Partnerships at Fettes College said: “Letham Park has been a warm addition to our Community Engagement Programme and students are already looking forward to our next visit later this month. Students at Fettes realise the value of giving back and this partnership is a fine example of that commitment in action.”
A Fettes student who has taken part in the initiative said: “It was a great experience to hear the residents’ stories and it was really rewarding to see how much they enjoyed interacting with us. We learnt lots about how to adapt our communication skills and it made me think differently about the challenges facing older people.”
Kelly Skellet, home manager at Letham Park said: “The residents really enjoy seeing the pupils. Intergenerational activities between residents and pupils have been beneficial to both, helping them to understand each other’s generations and develop social skills.”
