Retirement village residents and school pupils celebrate 1st anniversary of intergenerational garden

The event follows an ongoing partnership between Inspired Villages Austin Heath and Heathcote Primary School. The Intergenerational Garden opened in May 2023 and Inspired Villages has been working with Heathcote Primary School on several initiatives to bring younger and older generations together.

The Intergenerational Garden offers a space where pupils and Inspired residents can work together, sharing ideas and experience. The aim of the garden is to not only bring together different generations, but people from different cultures and walks of life to showcase the diverse community that surrounds the school. Residents and pupils come together once a month on a series of activities including gardening, reading, baking and art.

On Wednesday 8th May, residents from Austin Heath joined Year 4 & 5 pupils to spruce up the garden ready for summer. Together they transplanted seedlings for sweetcorn, carrots and beetroot, as well as planting parsnips and tomato plants into raised beds.

There was also time for a hard-earned snack break to enjoy some cakes and biscuits Year 5 pupils had baked at Austin Heath earlier in the week.

Austin Heath resident, Jean Blake, aged 88, commented: ”The children were fantastic; we had such a great time working together in the garden. I enjoyed myself so much that I have asked to go back to the school to listen to the children read soon too!”

Kim Abernathy, Deputy Head at Heathcote Primary School, added: “Residents and pupils have already come together on a series of activities this year and there’s lots more to come. The children have enjoyed learning more about gardening and how to grow their own vegetables. Over the past year, it has been lovely to see these intergenerational friendships develop and thrive and the children love having Austin Heath residents visit the garden. Having different generations come together is incredibly beneficial for all ages and we can all learn a lot from each other.”

Inspired Villages operates two retirement villages in Warwickshire, including Austin Heath just down the road from Heathcote Primary School, and Great Alne Park, just 30 minutes away.

Austin Heath offers state-of-the-art facilities that are open to both residents and the local community. The village features 167 homes, including village centre apartments, assisted living, panorama and penthouses. The village boasts an impressive range of amenities, including a wellness spa with a relaxation pool, restaurant, bar, hair and beauty salon, gym, craft room, and library/cinema room.

To find out more, please visit: www.inspiredvillages.co.uk/