Chartwell House in Broadstairs, Kent is launching a community initiative to connect children and the elderly and combat loneliness and isolation.

The Community Kindness Project encourages children to write letters to elderly residents, sharing experiences, stories, and life lessons to build friendships and foster understanding between the generations.

Diane Collins, home manager at Chartwell House, said: “We wanted to find a way to bring together different generations in the community and combat the isolation and loneliness that many elderly people face. By encouraging children to write letters to our residents and those living in the community, we hope to not only provide companionship but also create an opportunity for the sharing of knowledge and life lessons.”

The project will begin by partnering with Cliftonville Primary School, Margate, where students will be given the opportunity to write letters to residents at Chartwell House and those living in the community. The letters will be collected by Chartwell House and then passed on to residents, who will then be able to respond and continue the correspondence.

The project is also being run in association with Caremark, a leading local provider of domiciliary care services. Caremark will be facilitating the letter writing between their carers and those receiving home care, with local school children, helping to further connect the generations in the local community.

Diane added: “We’re excited to launch this project and see the positive impact it will have on both the children and the elderly residents involved. It’s a wonderful opportunity for everyone to learn from each other and build new friendships.”

Local elderly residents who would like to be involved can send a postcard to Chartwell House with their address and an introduction of themselves.

Chartwell House, 26 Draco Drive, Off Star Lane, Broadstairs, CT9 4FY.