KS1 pupils from Berwick St Marys CE First School chose to reach out to members of their community suffering with Dementia and Alzheimer's while taking part in the Young Leaders Award.

They connected with a local group called the Memory Laners, visiting them, inviting them into their school and organising a range of different activities and events throughout the year. They learnt from the Memory Laners about Berwick in the past and talked with them about what they had been learning about in school. They created music together and taught each other dances including the Charleston and the floss! The children helped the Memory Laners with Christmas quizzes and at Easter to support their celebrations. For a summer celebration the children and Memory Laners had a summer show.  

The work of the children was shared through social media to enable the whole community to see the positive impact that children working with the older generation can bring. Their project is a fantastic example of the value of intergenerational social action and also of how relationships can be built up over time, by running the project throughout the year rather than as a one off event, which makes the experience all the more meaningful for the children and older adults.  

“The wider community including the families and carers of the Memory Laners have described the profound impact the children have had including mental wellbeing. Some of the older people did not communicate at the start of the project and at our summer celebrations, the children and older generation were fully integrated and working together.” YLA Teacher

These young leaders have shown that you are never too young to make a significant difference to others and that small steps can make big changes!

“It has been so much fun, and I got to be a leader who made a difference to other people!” KS1 Young Leader

‍