'The children lift my soul' - Weekly visits from Boston pupils to residents re-start

A Staniland Academy pupil takes a resident through a story.

Staniland Academy, in Peck Avenue, has been warmly welcomed back at Mayfields, in Broadfield Lane.

Deputy headteacher, Kerry Carr, described it as an ‘absolute joy’ to be able to visit again.

“As a school, we have been visiting the residents at Mayfields for a number of years now,” she said.

Another resident enjoys a story from a youngster.

“During lockdown, the children expressed how much they missed the residents and how much they wanted to show they were still in their thoughts. We have extremely compassionate and kind pupils at Staniland Academy, who wanted to ensure their friends were not lonely, so they made lots of gifts which we regularly delivered.

“Fast forward to this academic year, when we knew we were safer to attend again. As a school, we set up in-person weekly visits as soon as we were able.

“Every week now, pupils from different year groups are heading over to visit the residents again – and they absolutely love sharing their books, and poems and stories, from the week gone by.”

These photographs show a recent reading session.

Pupils from across the school's year groups have been making the visit.

Rod Stair, integrated living and support service manager at Lincolnshire Housing Partnership, which runs Mayfields, said:

“Watching young people share their love of books with the older generation was a reminder of the importance of intergenerational connections and the power of literature to bring people together."

Mabel, a 99-year-old resident of Mayfields, added: “The children just lift my soul.”