What Connects Year 1 and a 90-Year-Old? Brampton Manor Finds Out

When Year 1 pupils from Fairstead House School arrived at Brampton Manor Care Home in Newmarket on Tuesday 12th May, they came prepared. Clipboards in hand, questionnaires ready, they had one job: to research what toys older generations grew up with. What they found went far beyond anything a worksheet could capture.

The visit was part of Brampton Manor's Connect & Create Café, a regular intergenerational programme at the Newmarket care home. The children had chosen the project themselves, aware that Brampton Manor's Nostalgia community theme sits at the heart of daily life there. But as the morning unfolded in the home's bistro, the questions about toys became something else entirely.

Sitting with residents Alan, Jeannie and Valerie, the children heard first-hand about growing up during wartime. About favourite toys that were lost when families were separated. About a childhood that looked nothing like their own. Valda Rayner, Head of Lifestyle and Wellbeing at Brampton Manor, was in the room for all of it. "The children listened so intently. There's something remarkable about that kind of exchange, the kind you can't plan for."

There were lighter moments too. One finding came up repeatedly across the questionnaires: a beloved teddy bear. And when the children revealed they still name theirs simply "Teddy," the residents laughed with recognition. Some things, it turns out, span 70 years without blinking.

The pupils also brought a handmade fishing game built from paperclips and magnets, and residents were quick to join in. "Lily was so excited to hear that so many of our residents shared her love of soft toys," said Valda. "Watching her want to share her own favourite with them was one of those moments you just hold onto."

The visit reflects an ongoing partnership between Brampton Manor and Fairstead House that grows stronger each year. Intergenerational connection is a core pillar of Boutique Care Homes' Life Enrichment Programme, built around six principles of resident wellbeing: Connect, Grow, Reflect, Feel, Move and Contribute.

Akhi Goswami, Home Manager at Brampton Manor, said "We're proud of what we've built with Fairstead House year on year. And days like these show what genuine community connection looks like, and we're looking forward to many more."

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