Blackburn Rovers Community Trust support Global Intergenerational Week

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust support Global Intergenerational Week

The period between 24th and 30th of April was marked as a Global Intergenerational Week, run by Blackburn Rovers Community Trust.

Global Intergenerational Week is an annual campaign which celebrates good inclusive intergenerational practice, with the aim of making a strong connection between all different generations. Blackburn Rovers Community Trust run a variety of different projects through the Neighbourhood Youth Offer programme that highlights strong intergenerational practice, with the full breakdown below.

Transforming Lives Panel

The Neighbourhood Youth Offer team have recently worked with 12 young people from the Adolescent and Transforming Lives panel. Several young people were involved with positive activities and informal education, social events and participated in meaningful social action project work. Blackburn Rovers Community Trust staff continue to work closely with the young people who participated on the Transforming Lives Panel by supporting them to overcome personal issues alongside helping grow their confidence and self-esteem.

Shad Hub Glitter Bugs Social Action Group

This group has concentrated on sustainability for the past two months and the importance of being environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The Shad Hub Glitter Bugs Social Action Group discussed the cost-of-living crisis and how this has had an impact on families and children in the local area. The Glitter Bugs experimented with making their own washing-up powder and soap using alternative ingredients to lower the cost, for example. This exercise didn’t just help save money but was more environmentally friendly.

In addition, the group also did activities focused on recycling, making junk art, bird feeders and monthly litter picks. Finally, the Glitter Bugs wrote letters to the Community Champions at local supermarkets asking for free Easter Eggs to donate to families in need, with Morrisons donating 20 eggs.

Rebecca Cooper from the NYO team said,

“We could not be prouder of the young people in the social action group who commit wholeheartedly to participating in meaningful social action project work, while at the same time working to overcome their own personal issues.”

Rebecca Cooper, a member of the NYO team

Senior Social Action Nurture Group

The young people took part in the Jack’s Walkers group in recent weeks to walk four times around the Ewood Park pitch. This provided a fantastic opportunity for different generations to come together and discuss various points about our community.  One senior participant spoke about their declining mental health last Christmas, and how Jack Walker’s supported him by socialising, talking, and sharing stories.

The young people will continue to engage with the Jack Walker’s group. Alongside this, the young people also visited Kingsway Residential Home to host a games night and a karaoke evening. On the first visit, the group led a bingo and general knowledge quiz, handing out prizes to the residents for participating. The group performed songs for the residents on their second visits, singing songs they would be familiar with. 

“Thank you to the young people for coming along to interact with the residents. From the resident’s point of view, they thoroughly enjoyed it and would love it to be a regular activity.”

Carlo Beardsworth, Housing Manager at Kingsway