WHEN Henry goes to Freda Gunton Lodge care home in Colchester, he makes a bee-line for Dee.

Dee is partially deaf and blind. When anyone speaks to her, they have to hold her hand.

So Henry, who goes to St John’s Green Primary School, does. He holds her hand and he reads the stories he has written for her.

A smile of sheer happiness creeps across Dee’s face.

Henry is part of a pilot scheme to introduce youngsters to the FaNs – the Friends and Neighbours Club.

FaNs was set up two years ago to enrich the quality of life experienced by older people living in care homes.

Funded by a grant from Essex County Council, the movement is based on the principle lives are enriched by contacts with friends and neighbours – and that includes residents living in care homes.

About 500 people are part of the club and tonight, a junior section is being launched to encourage youngsters to engage with the older community.

Colchester councillor Tina Bourne is a supporter of the scheme.

In her role as deputy head at St John’s Green School in Colchester, she has lead a pilot scheme under which pupils from the school have gone to Freda Gunton Lodge on a weekly basis.

Groups of Year 4 children, aged eight and nine, go to the home each week to talk to the residents.

Ms Bourne is a busy woman with demanding professional and council commitments.

She said: “My intention had been to go along for the first week with the children and hand it over to someone else at the school to take care of.

“But it had such impact an me, I still go every week.

“A lot of children have grandparents who are in their 60s but they don’t have contact with more elderly people.

“When we first started, we gave suggestions such as telling them they would have to speak clearly and pointing out some of the elderly might have mobility issues.

“We also tried to explain the age gap reminding them the residents might not know what an Xbox is.”

The briefing was unnecessary. The children acted with instinctive kindness, learning and adapting on the way.

Ms Bourne said: “In the first week, they were talking about their favourite books and one resident said their favourite book was Treasure Island.

“The next week the pupil sourced a copy of the book from the library and took it to the home and read it to the resident.

“Every week, the pupil read some more chapters to the resident.

“We were so touched to see this kind of involvement from the children.

“We teach them about history but they were talking to the residents about when they were evacuated during the war or their memories of their schooldays. It was real history, brought to life."

She added: "I have seen the confidence grow in the children. They have developed relationships with the elderly residents and have learnt empathy and demonstrated sensitivity.

“They have adapted to the environment at the care home and their communication skills have developed.”

Ms Bourne added: “They get their favourites. They go into the lounge and speak to lots of residents but they build bonds with some. It is a complete joy. It is lovely to watch, a privilege.

“I go every week because I love to see the children doing this.”

The feeling is reciprocated. Sam Westbrook, the home’s manager, said he has seen residents blossom during the children’s visits.

“Most people here are elderly, in their 80s and 90s.

“As such, their grandchildren might be in their 20s and 30s. We see far less children here than we used to say ten years ago.

“About five to ten residents go down to the lounge for the visits from the children. It has been an incredibly positive experience.

“We have a couple of residents who don’t engage that much with other residents but they really do so with the children.

“They have big grins on their faces. Dee was an independent woman who is now limited by her sensory impairments but the visits bring her tremendous comfort and she has such a smile on her face.”

Mr Westbrook spoke of another resident who would not tolerate anyone sitting in her chair in the lounge – except the children with whom she jokes and laughs.

“The visits are incredibly positive,” he said. “It terrific.”

  •  The junior section of the FaNs Club will be launched tonight at Colchester Fire Station at 7pm.

Schools, groups and individuals are all welcome to join. Anyone wanting more information is asked to contact FaNs Club School Liaison Di Bignell by emailing di@mhlec.org.

For more information on the club, go to www.fansnetwork.org.