JDNC: Young social action squad visits fantastic Dementia Day Centre
By Evie, 12, Jill Dando News Correspondent
Priory Community School Academy’s adventurous social action squad set off to Tamar Wellness Centre – Alliance Homes Dementia Service – to meet the folks who are currently living with the mental illness that affects their memories.
The student volunteers had a buzzing time, learning about everyone and understanding how to communicate with them.
The students painted bright, colourful plant pots with the residents in the Wellness centre, with the plan to return at the end of February to plant seeds with the them.
Every term, the young people go back to the Centre to converse with customers and to interact with the older generation.
Day Services Manager, Laura Hayes, stated that ‘all of them were so lovely with the customers and showed so much patience and perseverance in the task. The team observed the children being kind and encouraging and attentive to the customers. What a lovely group of children who really have represented (their) school in a wonderful way!’
One lady’s daughter commended a particular student, Lucy, 13, for reaching out to her Ukrainian mother who has recently developed Dementia after finding a new home in Weston-super-Mare as a result of the ongoing war.
Students look forward to spending time at the Centre and plan to invite PCSA’s student choir later in the year.
