Students and party organisers join guests and the Mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr John Adams, for the Faithworks’ celebration event hosted by the LeAF Academy
Bournemouth students brought joy to dozens of older people when they hosted a special celebratory party for them.
The LeAF Academy joined forces with the charity Faithworks Wessex to host the event, which saw their special guests treated to a wide range of entertainment and afternoon tea.
Helping to pull everything together were eight Year 13 health and social care students from Oak who took charge of organising the party. They called in performing arts students from both Oak and the LeAF Studio to entertain their guests with ballet, ballroom, songs from the 1950s and passages from well-loved books. The guests were also treated to a visit from the Mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr John Adams.
Executive principal of the LeAF Academy, Gill Blanshard, said: “To see the hard work and talent of our students bring such joy and happiness to older members in our community was something very special indeed.
“As an academy we very much see ourselves as part of the community, integrating with others from all generations, and we were honoured to host such an occasion.”
Bournemouth based charity, Faithworks Wessex, aims to bring hope into the lives of those who are struggling with isolation or poverty and as part of this organise events to give people days to remember.
Chief executive, Alistair Doxat-Purser, said: “Creating these special events with a local school fits the bill perfectly. There is also the benefit of bringing the generations together – too often the generations are suspicious, fearful or dismissive of each other – an event like this breaks down those walls.
“The celebration at Oak Academy not only showcased the immense hard work, superb performances, wonderfully friendly welcome and care of the students, it also created an atmosphere of hope and joy that will live long with many of the guests.”
