Children from a Kingsbridge primary school were welcomed by staff and patients at South Hams Hospital for the first of six days of Lessons on the Ward.
The Year 5 children from Stokenham Primary School are joining Livewell Southwest for an intergenerational project designed to help patients on the rehabilitation ward on their road to recovery.
It follows a successful similar project by Livewell Southwest at Mount Gould Hospital in Plymouth last year.
Over the coming weeks, the nine-year-olds will spend Thursday afternoons with patients, learning skills including hand washing with a Glo Germ machine, playing games and Lego together with games, gardening in the fresh air and chatting.
Di Green, Community Modern Matron for South Hams said:
“I was really inspired by the pilot project at Mount Gould Hospital and was keen to do the same in South Hams. We’re hoping it will boost the wellbeing of our patients who are usually elderly, and open up the ward to the children, some of whom haven’t been in a hospital before.
“We’d like the two generations to build positive relationships, inspire conversations and provide new experiences for both old and young.”
“This year is the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, celebrating the work of nurses, the commitment and expert clinical care they bring, and the impact they make on the lives of so many. I’m hoping this project will connect us with our local community and showcase the work of nurses within the hospital.”
During the first visit the children helped to prepare a shared lunch, played snakes and ladders with patients Arthur and Mark, and it was ‘eyes down’ for a game of bingo, which turned out to be more competitive than planned!
Mrs Cross, teaching assistant at Stokenham Primary, said:
“The children were really excited about coming along today and I think it will be a fantastic experience for them. We hope it will support their academic and personal development and it’s good to show them the ‘real’ life within a hospital”
When asked what her favourite part of the day was, Darcie, nine, said: “ All of it!”