24 September 2020
Bucklesham Grange presented with artwork to mark National Arts in Care Homes Day
Our Ipswich care home has been presented with artwork from The Together Project, a non-profit company which runs intergenerational activities to celebrate National Arts in Care Homes Day.
The Together Project presented our residential, nursing and dementia home with the one-of-a-kind artwork on the national day run by the National Activity Providers Association to highlight the increased need for intergenerational friendships and to support the hard work of care home staff.
The artwork which features handprints from children aged 4 weeks to residents aged 102 years, depicts a baby holding the hand of an older person and was made as part of The Together Project’s ‘Hand in Hand Together’ campaign.
This campaign encourages children of all ages and older people in care homes to create handprint pictures, have fun and connect with others in the local community, helping to address the loneliness of older people shielding.
Bucklesham Grange was chosen to be the recipient of the moving collage because of our commitment to Songs & Smiles, an activity run in partnership with The Together Project prior to lockdown designed to entertain and engage 0-4-year olds and residents through singing, movement, instruments, coloured scarves and bubbles.
Lifestyle Leader at Bucklesham Grange, Kirsty Thomas said: “It’s an honour to be the home that receives this amazing art work. Songs and Smiles was so treasured by the team and residents and its great we are still able to have contact in some way with the children and the community.
“We are looking forward to the time when we can next welcome children and their parents/grandparents in to Bucklesham Grange, until this time we can enjoy this colourful piece.”
Founder of The Together Project, Louise Goulden said: “Hand in Hand Together is symbolic of reaching across the divide that has been created between care homes and their local communities during this terrible time we’ve all been through.”
Head of Relationship Centred Care at Hallmark Care Homes which owns Bucklesham Grange, April Dobson said: “This is a truly heart-warming initiative and we have loved being involved. It’s been an incredibly tough time for everyone and this has really helped to lift spirits.”
For more information about the Hand in Hand Together campaign which is on-going and to sign up as a parent, guardian or care home visit: www.thetogetherproject.co.uk/hand-in-hand-together
Click here to find your nearest Hallmark care home.