Children and senior citizens together in residential day

Children and senior citizens together in residential day

23 January 2019

IT’S not often children have the opportunity to show others how to do something but that’s exactly what happens when pupils from St Nicholas’ Primary School in Ardlgass Primary School visited a residential home for the elderly. 

P6 children from the school were chosen to work alongside residents of Ardview Residential Home in a cross-generational art project with local artist Fionnuala Duffin. 

The children began twice-weekly sessions before the Chrismas break and will continue until the mid term break. 

Funding for the project came from the Play Resource Centre. The first week saw pupils and residents sketch the iconic tourist attractions of Ardglass, including the golf course and the harbour. 

The sketches will be presented as a three-metre long collage in which the sea and the sky will be added using some bright blue tissue paper and cotton wool. It will be exhibited in the residential home and the primary school so that as many people as possible can get a chance to admire it.

P6 teacher Mary McGrady, who is leading the project, said the boys and girls relished the opportunity and worked “fantastically well” with the residents. 

“It was heart-warming to see the smiles on the residents’ faces as they chat to each other and share stories,” she said. The children really look forward to working on the 

project with their new friends each week. 

“The residents love to see the children coming. They have started to teach them songs they knew when they were small and the children sing along with them. 

“The residents also tell the children stories of the people who once lived in the village and it is heartening to watch them interact the way they do. It’s great craic.”

Mrs McGrady said she was proud of each and every one of the pupils.

“The children are a credit to themselves, our school and their parents,” she added.