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Jun 2021

Last Updated: 19/06/2021

Community

Harrogate pupils tackle loneliness with letters to care homes

by Newsroom

| 19 Jun, 2021

Pupils from Saltergate Schools wrote hand-crafted letters to care homes and decorated butterflies as a part of Loneliness Awareness Week this week.

children-from-saltergate-schools-with-their-handwritten-letters-for-vida-healthcare-1

Pupils from a Harrogate infant and junior school have written letters to people in care homes to help combat loneliness.

Saltergate Schools partnered with Vida Healthcare to send the letters to care workers and residents in its two Harrogate homes.

Its initiative was a part of Loneliness Awareness Week, which began on Monday and aims to tackle the stigma around loneliness by getting people to talk about their feelings.

The care homes, Vida Grange in Pannal and Vida Hall in Starbeck, were also decorated with butterflies crafted by the students.

James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, which specialises in caring for those with dementia, said:

“We are so pleased to have had the support this year from Saltergate Schools to make our staff and residents feel extra special. The butterflies look fantastic and our residents and staff have all been really touched by the handwritten letters.”

Studies have shown that people in care homes are twice as likely to feel lonely as those in the wider community.

Linda Mortimer, headteacher at Saltergate Schools, said:

"Loneliness Awareness Week was the perfect opportunity for us to give back to our local community and educate our children about loneliness."

"Accepting that we all feel lonely sometimes is an important lesson and learning what we can do to help others and ourselves manage feelings of loneliness is critical."

The Marmalade Trust hosts the annual Loneliness Awareness Week, which more than 20,000 charities got involved with last year.

Visit its website for information and support.