Celebrating Intergenerational Joy Across Bradford

“I truly hope that every time a child like myself visits, it brings happiness and joy to the residents“

Celebrating Intergenerational Joy Across Bradford

On 17th June, as part of our wider Schools Linking Celebration Week, we gathered to celebrate the wonderful connections between younger and older people across Bradford. These relationships are supported through Intergenerational Linking, which now connects over 60 schools with older people’s settings across the district.

140 guests from across the district joined us for the celebration, including pupils, teachers, care staff, residents and wider friends of Intergenerational Linking. We were also delighted to welcome special guests Councillor Kamran Hussain, Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe, Mahmood Mohammed from Bradford Council and Andra Chelcea, Cultural Learning Manager at Bradford 2025, who joined in the celebration and experienced first-hand the joy that intergenerational connection brings. 

This year, we were especially excited to celebrate Intergenerational Play. Through this project, in partnership with Bradford 2025 City of Culture, 20 schools and 20 older people’s settings across the district are coming together to explore the theme of Play. Working with 10 local creative practitioners – spanning drama, storytelling to music, dance, crafts and games – each link has sparked imaginative and heartwarming connections across generations. 

“This is the best thing I’ve ever done in my career. WE BUILD MAGIC!”

To mark these fun, play-based sessions, we invited three creative practitioners working on the project to lead activities at the event. Throughout the day, folk duo Reuben and the Bridge filled the space with music, getting many of us moving – whether on our feet or dancing in our chairs. Children were already up out of their seats dancing as guests were still arriving!

“Seeing the interactions between the pupils and residents was a privilege and highlight of my career.” 

Beccy from Falling Stars Theatre started activities with a lively drama session set in an imaginary restaurant, where children enthusiastically took orders, acted out scenes and had to freeze whenever the inspector passed by!

“I have enjoyed watching the children’s confidence grow while interacting with residents.”

Then Laura from Debutots led us all on an interactive storytelling adventure to the seaside – complete with bubbles that filled the room.

As well as all the fun and play, we were lucky enough to hear from brave and thoughtful young speakers from Sandy Lane Primary and St Philip’s CofE Primary, who spoke about what intergenerational linking has meant to them.

To close the celebration, each child was invited to come to the front and collect a rose to gift to an adult in the room – so that every guest, including every resident, left with a flower and a smile.

We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who makes Intergenerational Linking happen across Bradford – the school staff, care workers, residents and, of course, the incredible children who take part. Your warmth, enthusiasm and care is what makes this work so meaningful.

And a very special thank you to the brilliant team at Bradford 2025 and all of our creative practitioners for bringing this joyful project to life with such energy and imagination. We’re so proud to be part of a district where intergenerational connections are growing all the time.

“I have loved to see our children not only mixing with other generations, but also other schools. What a fantastic afternoon! Thank you.”