A nursery and pre-school in Teddington has been visiting the Elleray Centre in partnership with Brighter Together for over a year.

Each Monday, a group of six Pre‑School children from Bushy Tails take part in a one‑hour intergenerational session where they engage, play, and build relationships with their older friends in the community.

Brighter Together has planned a variety of enriching activities based around themes such as sense of self, exploring London, and other meaningful topics.

Each Monday, a group of six Pre‑School children from Bushy Tails take part in a one‑hour intergenerational session at the Elleray Centre (Credit: Bushy Tails)

These sessions give the children opportunities to develop confidence, communication, empathy, and a deeper connection with the world around them. They also bring joy, energy, and companionship to the older adults the pre-school visits.

Bushy Tails has continued to visit the new Elleray Centre since it moved to a new site on North Lane in December.

'When Pre-Schoolers spend time with older adults, something really special happens,' says Bushy Tails' Pre-school Room Manager Kiran (Credit: Bushy Tails)

Speaking about the sessions, Bushy Tails' Pre-School Room Manager Kiran said: "When Pre-Schoolers spend time with older adults, something really special happens.

advertisement

"The children become more patient, more curious, and more confident - and they learn to connect with someone from a completely different stage of life.

"These workshops don't just teach skills; they build empathy, communication, and a real sense of community."

Without their community-minded sponsorship, we wouldn't be able to bring you local news free from overly-intrusive ads, pop-ups and clickbait.