Clickety Click! Two young ladies get their eyes down
Two Warwick schoolgirls have begun work at a home for elderly people to help make its bingo night go with a swing.
Laurien Ash and Amy Cox of Kings High School for Girls in Warwick are working towards a Duke of Edinburgh silver award. As part of the programme they look to carry out voluntary duties in the community.
An ideal opportunity presented itself at Lower Meadow Home for Elderly People in Stratford. As part of the programme of activities organised at the Warwickshire County Council run home, there is a bingo night. For some, seeing the numbers and hearing the callers can be a problem so May and Laurien stepped in to be their eyes and ears.
Residents have taken to the two girls with Jean Barr commenting: “They’re lovely girls and it’s nice to have some young faces around as well.”
As well as helping with the bingo, the girls take time to stay and chat to the residents which, with an age gap of over 80 years in some cases, has proved to be an eye-opening experience.
Laurien said: “The older people at the home told us they are the same as us ‘only with more wrinkles’. Chatting to them makes you realise that we have a great deal in common.”
Amy agreed, saying. “It’s a worthwhile thing for us to do as it makes you want to help the older people and I’m enjoying it. “
The bingo is part of a range of activities organised by the home to enhance residents’ well-being along with reminiscence sessions, a monthly organ sing-along, group games, regular day trips, shoppibg and pub lunches and even seaside holidays.
Manager Paul Gaskell is delighted with Amy and Laurien’s work at the home and said: “They have been a real boon to the home. Activities are an essential part of life in the home and Amy and Laurien have contributed greatly to this.”