Older people living with dementia got a visit from some tiny tots on St Valentine’s Day.

Babies, toddlers and their parents visited the centre to socialise and engage with older people living with dementia who access day services.

 The Tiny Visitors group regularly attends Mardy Park; a community wellbeing hub for health, social care services and community groups focussed on supporting local people aged 55 and over.

 Tiny Visitors is a group made up of parents, babies and toddlers aged between 0-3 years of age who attend Flying Start. Flying Start is a Welsh Government programme to improve the life chances of children aged 0 to 3 in targeted areas of Wales.

Beth Watkins Flying Start Manager said, “We love bringing our children and parents to Mardy Park. Intergenerational work such as this is so beneficial to the children, parents and the older people. To see the smiles on their faces from a simple activity such as singing emphasises that this activity is essential to the wellbeing of all involved.”

Geoff Burrows, cabinet officer for health and social care said, “It’s magical to watch everyone having fun together, making new memories and benefiting from the shared experience. This is an example of one of many fantastic creative projects within Monmouthshire that takes an intergenerational approach to keeping the community alive and well.”

 Flying Start Monmouthshire would like to expand on the intergenerational links with communities and are currently looking for volunteers to help out in Monmouth, Caldicot and Chepstow. Volunteers will provide additional life skills with staff, parents and the children they support. From sharing stories and books to helping little ones learn gardening skills in the great outdoors.

For more information contact Beth Watkins, phone 01873 856162 07810055815 or email [email protected]