Pupils bring outside in for care home residents

A GROUP of A-level art pupils at Shiplake College have been visiting Lashbrook House care home in Shiplake to paint a mural on the walls of the residents’ day room.

Daniel Coles, Oscar Smaje, Poppy Parsons, F Stewart, I Syms and Sabine Bathe-Taylor completed the work over the summer term.

Keli Jiggens, head of art at the independent school, said: “We were tasked with creating an apple blossom tree mural with birds and blossom, much like the one that is at the main entrance to the care home, which all the residents love.

“The students came up with the design and decided who would paint which area of the mural.

“We visited the care home five times over the course of the summer term to paint the mural.

“It was wonderful to come back each week and see the residents who loved the students coming in and watching them painting.

“It was such a rewarding experience seeing the students and residents interacting and you could see that both groups benefited hugely.

“Each week, we had such a warm welcome from the staff and residents with drinks, ice creams and, on the last day, a cake to say thank you.”

Home manager Lina Nela said: “The students have brought the outside world into our residents’ lounge. Thank you to all involved.”