A CARE home in Jaywick has rolled out a brand-new initiative in a bid to break down the generational divide between the town’s younger and older residents.

Corner Lodge, in Meadow Way, is an award-winning and specialist assisted living facility dedicated to providing quality care to those suffering with dementia.

It now running a weekly programme which sees elderly residents taken on lengthy outings in a trishaw pulled along by a cycling volunteer from the Jaywick and Clacton Youth Centre.

The hope is that it will encourage greater interaction between the youth and the elderly within the community and help abolish any preconceptions one may have about the other.

Corner Lodge’s activities co-ordinator Tina Smith said: “When older adults contribute to the well-being of youth it cultivates a sense of purpose and extends benefits both ways.

“Volunteering is also a way to bring older adults and young people together and the key is to change social norms to encourage relationship building between generations.”

The stereotype-shattering idea was inspired by a bike kitchen scheme, which was designed to get more young people into cycling and set-up by youth project Inclusion Ventures and PC Cornelius.

Accompanied by a member of the care home, some of the residents’ journeys can be as long 20-miles and they get to decide when they return to the home.

As well as abolishing age barriers, the excursions also give residents the chance to connect with their surroundings, enjoy freeing experiences along the coastline and maintain their quality of life.

Tina said: “We take it for granted that we can go outside when we want to, enjoying fresh air, sunlight, plants and trees - it generally makes us feel much better and relieves the stresses of everyday living.

“But people in hospital and care homes, and especially those with dementia, are all too often not able to do this.

“So, we are so pleased to be able to not only ensure our residents are living fulfilling lives, but also to bring the community in Jaywick together.”