Kindhearted residents at a Winchester dementia care home have teamed up with local schoolchildren to spread a little happiness around their neighbourhood.
An arts and crafts session at Colten Care’s St Catherines View in Stanmore Lane saw young guests from St Peter’s Catholic Primary School spend time meeting and chatting with residents.
Together they made a series of bookmarks to give out free to the community in a move inspired by World Kindness Day.
Companionship Team Leader Laura Sheldrake laminated the bookmarks and placed them in clear bags along with a trolley coin and a note that said: ‘Enjoy this bookmark designed by a child at St Peter’s Catholic Primary School. Happy World Kindness Day’.
Residents also crocheted heart keyrings and put them in little packages labelled ‘pocket hugs’ along with a note and cookies homemade by St Catherines View Chef Gaby Popovici.
Laura and resident Gill Swaby then went out and about with eleven children from the school and Headteacher Louise Buxton.
They carefully hung some of the gifts from tree branches, gates and lampposts and handed out others to surprised and delighted passers-by.
As she took part, Gill said: “This is a fantastic idea and the children are so good, they are making people smile.”
One recipient posted a message to the school’s Parent Teacher Association saying: “What a lovely random act of kindness to come home to. A big thanks to St Peter’s Catholic Primary School and St Catherines View for this delightful initiative. I love my new bookmark!”
A staff member from the school, who found a bag left on her car, emailed Louise to say: “Thank you to whoever left this for me to find at the end of the day. To say I was very surprised and overwhelmed is an understatement.”
Companion Laura said: “It was great to go out in the community and be joined by the children. Gill loved helping them hang and give out the gifts. The school have been amazing in helping us build a fantastic connection. Mrs Buxton has been a driving force, making sure we keep the connection going.
