Pupils create goodie bags for care home residents

GOODIE bags full of treats were given to care home residents by primary school pupils in Ellesmere Port.

Volunteer group Passion for Learning has been working in partnership with Westminster Primary School, on John Street, to connect pupils and care home residents.

As part of the project, 45 goodie bags of chocolate, books, pens, hand soap and shower gel were given to residents at Aaron Court Care Home, on Princes Road.

Pupils also wrote letters of support and drew pictures of rainbows, houses and people for each of the residents.

One pupil named Scarlett wrote: “I know you are feeling nervous for what is happening b ut when feeling nervous I go and talk to someone. I remember the good times like when we all played basketball and dodgeball and it was so fun. I hope you can use your good memories to help you through this hard time.”

Another pupil called Annabel wrote: “Ellesmere Port is not just a town. Ellesmere Port is love and courage. This is a town which makes people braver and stronger. This is a town where people fall in love. Ellesmere Port is where I became braver and stronger. Ellesmere Port is where I fell in love.”

Joyce Healey, 88, a resident at Aaron Court Care Home, cried tears of joy when reading the letter in her goodie bag. She said: “Are you sure all of this is for me?”

Fellow resident Mary Pendrey, 92, said: “Oh what a lovely surprise to receive.”

Amy Jones, activities coordinator at Aaron Court Care Home, said: “The goodie bags, letters and drawings were so lovely and really made our residents feel special. They were so happy with them.

“We’d like to say a massive thank you to Passion for Learning and Westminster Primary School for thinking of us for their project.

“Our residents will be writing back to the pupils and we hope to invite them to the home when we are able to in future.”

Diane Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Passion for Learning, said: “The project began when I lost a very close member of my family to Covid very early in lockdown.

“Our charity had been supplying Activity Bags to children all over Cheshire West and Chester from the outset and, in memory of Tom, I decided to put together gift bags for the residents of the home where he had lived.

“The response was wonderful and I immediately realised that we had the opportunity to connect our children to the residents of local homes and bring a little sunshine into these communities during lockdown.

“I contacted local schools and they were really keen to be a part of the project. We have been incredibly touched by the responses from the residents and some of the letters from our children to their new friends have been incredibly sweet.

“It is our intention to continue with this project for the foreseeable future because we believe that this connection between the generations is incredibly important for both.

“It’s important not to forget anyone in these difficult times and I am totally committed to making sure that residents know that they are far from forgotten.”