A group of children and care home residents came together for a virtual friendship day as part of a community arts project.

Children from Blackburn Children’s University and residents from Eachstep Care Home took part in the online friendship event earlier this year which included the children being treated to a spontaneous rendition of ‘We’ll Meet Again’ and ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ by some of the residents.

This is the third online activity that the children and residents have taken part in since lockdown curtailed face-to-face activities which had been planned as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded Project, East Lancashire Childhoods: Sharing Stories, Making Memories.

During the morning, the children took part in Zoom activities with Sara Burton, Blackburn Children’s University Manager, and decorated wooden hearts and made trees with messages of kindness, before ‘meeting’ with the residents in the afternoon.

Sara said: “We really enjoy running activities like these and working with Blackburn University Centre and Eachstep Care Home. Our members always look forward to these activities and cannot wait to receive their craft pack for the day."

The children and residents decorated hands which were turned into wreaths and exchanged with the help of Sara and Joanie Gleeson, from Eachstep Care Home.

The event was facilitated by staff and students from the School of Art and Society at Blackburn University Centre as part of an intergenerational community arts project which aims to capture memories of the home front from people who were children during WWII.

Activities Co-Ordinator at Eachstep Care Home, Joanie Gleeson said: "The event was a great success. The residents loved connecting with the children and joining in the virtual craft activities."