School children of Tonbridge recently participated in an art competition, creating poignant pieces portraying their thoughts on living with dementia. The competition concluded with a prize giving ceremony at Barnes Lodge Care Home.
Joined by the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Roger Roud, MP Tom Tugendhat and Head of Freemasons, the children gathered at Barnes Lodge Care Home in Tudeley Lane to receive their prizes for their exceptional artwork and share a special buffet lunch, courtesy of the home, with the Barnes Lodge residents.
The competition, which was arranged by Chris Parker, Chair of Tonbridge’s Dementia Friendly Community, saw the children, many of whom have received dementia training, create some very thoughtful pieces based around their perception of the condition. The finished works of art will be compiled in a dementia friends calendar for the upcoming year.
Prizes were given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, in addition to a ‘Chairman’s Choice’ category. The children received trophies, as well as a copy of David Walliams’s book, ‘Grandpa’s Great Escape’, which suitably tells the story of a young boy attempting to free his confused grandpa from his retirement home.
Nicky Pett, General Manager of Barnes Lodge commented: “We were delighted to host the art competition in our lovely care home with our residents invited to watch, as we understand the importance of being part of a dementia friendly community and are keen to contribute to driving and developing that here in Tonbridge.
“We already have a great relationship with a local school, who visit us regularly, and other groups, such as Scouts, and we are always looking at ways to do more.”
