A long-standing intergenerational relationship between care home residents and Perth primary school pupils has been further strengthened with the creation of a unique tartan.
Residents at the Fair City’s Balhousie North Inch North Grove care home and pupils from nearby Balhousie Primary School have been working with a Blairgowrie weaver to create the tartan in a series of workshops at the care home.
Care home Manager Sandra Brennan said the creation of the tartan is as also a celebration of Balhousie Primary School, which will shut in 2022.
At Wednesday’s launch event for the tartan, the care home group handed over gifts to pupils, customised with the Balhousie tartan.
The weave, which uses the blues and greys which feature in both the school and care home colours, also features a squirrel in recognition of the grey squirrels which live on the care home grounds.
Sandra said: “It’s a delight to be working so closely with Balhousie Primary School, and to see friendships formed between its pupils and our residents.
“The Balhousie tartan bears the name of both our care home group and the school, and will be a lasting legacy for both – a permanent reminder of the links forged between the school and our North Inch North Grove home.”
Ashleigh Slater, of the Weaver Incorporation of Dundee and owner of Tartan Caledonia studio in Blairgowrie, has helped bring to project to fruition.
He said: “Huge thanks to all involved, they’ve worked hard to make this happen. It’s been a delight working with the school pupils, residents and staff to create the Balhousie tartan.
“We hope to take this even further and create some more items out the tartan.”
Schoolteacher Katrina Dormer, who is one of the leaders of the intergenerational project, said the relationships forged between pupils and residents were “truly tremendous”.
Katrina added: “The school and the care home have been working together for many years. Our children visit on a weekly basis throughout the school year for game playing, sharing stories and singing songs with residents.
“It has been a pleasure to work alongside the staff of Balhousie North Inch North Grove to allow such positive friendships, and the tartan project has been a huge success thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of the children and residents.”
