A heartwarming milestone was marked as the hundredth pupil from our school paid a special visit to Redlands House Care Home.

Children from Firside Junior School have been visiting the residents at the home since January this year, as part of their community work through the charity Friend in Deed.

Our Assistant Head of School, Lucy Seagrave, runs the scheme and accompanies each group, alongside parent-volunteer Claire Taylor.

“We have a long-standing connection with the charity Friend in Deed, who put us in touch with Redlands to form a connection with them,” she said. “With the care home being a short, ten-minute walk for us from Firside, it makes it easy for us to be able to visit regularly.

“I put out an email last academic year asking for parents to sign their children up to visit the care home, and was overwhelmed when over 100 children wanted to visit. We have been slowly working through the initial waiting list, and we know that there are other children who also want to take part.”

As well as strengthening the links between Redlands and our school, which is part of the Wensum Trust, the initiative has seen the children’s kindness rewarded by Friend in Deed.

Mrs Seagrave explained: “Through our links with Friend in Deed, we discussed the idea of the children completing a ‘Community Kindness Award’. To be able to take part, the children would have to commit to visiting regularly for a half term.

“Usually, the children visit four or five times a half term on a Wednesday afternoon. We walk there, spend about 30 to 40 minutes interacting with the residents, and then walk back to school.

“The children chat, play games, and colour with the residents. At the end of their half term of visits, they get recognised in assembly with a Community Kindness Badge, provided to us by Friend in Deed.”

The hundredth Firside pupil’s visit to the care home was marked with a celebration at Redlands, complete with refreshments and party games for the residents and children.

Mrs Seagrave continued: “We wanted to mark the occasion, as it is so amazing that 100 children have now taken part in the Community Kindness Award and we still have more children that want to visit.

“The children love going on the visits, and are really sad when they finish going. It’s lovely to hear children who have visited asking current participants if they have met particular residents.”

She added: “ We love seeing children shine in different ways, and it has been wonderful to see children interacting so beautifully with their older friends.

“All of the children love making connections with their older friends, and you can see how much the residents enjoy their company too.

“Often family members are visiting the residents, and they comment on how lovely it is to see the children building these connections with the residents, and bringing so much joy to the home.”