Blooming brilliant: Chingford care home residents team up with pupils for gardening project

Pupils from Chingford CofE Primary School visited Care UK’s Ivy Grove, on Hatch Lane, to create and plant colourful seed bombs in the home’s garden.

The activity aimed to encourage biodiversity by sowing native wildflowers, attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies. It provided an opportunity for residents to pass on their knowledge while enjoying time outdoors with the younger generation.

Many residents at Ivy Grove are passionate about gardening and shared their expertise with the pupils throughout the afternoon.

Laura Shirra, aged 94, said: "The secret to happy plants is water and sunshine. Always give your plants a good drink, early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun isn’t too hot. Always give them just enough, like a gentle little shower, not a big flood.”

The project was part of Generations of Change, an initiative launched by Care UK with the aim of uniting older and younger people in a shared mission of environmental stewardship.

The new programme aims to harness the wisdom of older members of society and the fresh perspectives of children during hands-on activities linked to biodiversity, climate change and sustainable gardening, creating opportunities for a fulfilling knowledge exchange that will benefit the planet.

Aligned with school curriculums, this will be the first of many Generations of Change projects at Ivy Grove which will bring a unique bidirectional learning model into the home that allows residents to mentor children on traditional conservation practices while young people share modern perspectives on sustainable living during their shared environmental projects.

Beyond environmental education, this initiative aims to combat loneliness in older people by fostering meaningful connections that promote a sense of purpose, enriching the lives of both generations as they work together towards a more sustainable future.

Care UK has also created downloadable packs with resources for teachers and groups, including fun, interactive activities to facilitate intergenerational lessons, with the educational packs covering topics from biodiversity to food sustainability, climate change to recycling.

Jacob Mante, General Manager at Ivy Grove, said: “It was wonderful to welcome the pupils from Chingford CofE Primary School for our seed bomb project. There were smiles all round as they worked together to create the seed bombs and get their hands dirty in the garden.

“Gardening is a popular activity here at Ivy Grove, and it was lovely to see the residents sharing tips and stories with the children. Not only is it a great way to stay active and engaged, but this activity had the added benefit of supporting the local ecosystem.”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Ivy Grove provides full-time residential and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, with the layout of the building configured to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among residents. It also boasts its own café, activity room and hair and beauty salon.