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The first visit took place on 11 December 2019 where four care home residents from Roebuck Nursing Home in Stevenage visited Shephalbury Park Primary School for lunch. 

HCL the ‘leading school caterers in Hertfordshire’ served the lunch. The menu included roast chicken with sage and onion stuffing and roast potatoes with seasonal vegetables with gravy and a reduced sugar dessert. 

Mr Conway, headteacher at Shephalbury School, said: “We’re delighted to partner with HCL and Roebuck Nursing Home. There was a really lovely atmosphere throughout the morning in the school, everyone was smiling, and the children were thrilled to see their elderly guests enjoying their favourite meal, chatting about their lives and what they enjoyed doing, and playing some games. 

“As a school, we think it’s important to promote intergenerational activities. The potential benefits for children include positive changes in perceptions and attitudes towards the elderly, increase in self-confidence and positive behaviour in school.”

Research has found this type of collaboration can decrease older people’s loneliness, delay mental decline and lower blood pressure. 

Doreen, a resident at Roebuck Nursing Home, added: “It was a lovely lunch, in a specially decorated room by the children. The children were so well behaved; it was the highlight of my week. I enjoyed my morning spending time with the children, we spoke about their schoolwork and played a few games. 

“Things have changed a lot since I was in school, with the children using more technology and remembering our school meals were never as tasty as what we ate today. It is fair to say school lunch is a lot better now than it was back then and it was nice see the world from these wonderful children’s perspective.”

If the project is a success it will see other care home residents across Stevenage visit Shephalbury School once a month where the lunch will be provided by HCL.