Lessons in using the latest tech, playing chess like a Grandmaster, the best bait to use to land the biggest fish, and enjoying a chat over a good book, are all things that Manchester’s youngest and oldest residents will be getting to grips with together over this next week as the city marks Global Intergenerational Week (24-30 April).
The annual worldwide campaign celebrates the power of intergenerational relationships and the enormous benefits they bring to individuals and communities – from transferring skills across the generations, to helping combat social isolation and loneliness, and challenging ageism.
Already reaping the benefits of time spent with each other are the residents of Belong Morris Feinmann in Didsbury and pupils at neighbouring Moor Allerton School, whose primary aged pupils delight in nipping through the fence that separates them from their next-door neighbours once a week, armed with a pile of books, to read together with their new-found older friends who live at the residential home.
Teacher Angela Luckett said: “Every half term a different year group of children come across once a week to read, and so they get to really know each other. Pupils read with the residents, sharing their literacy skills, but also quite often just having a chat with each other, which is really lovely to see. It’s beautiful to see the relationships that have built over the visits – they get to form great friendships and really connect with each other.”
Year 5 pupil Miles added: “I like it, it makes me calmer. I like to read with them and it’s really fun.”
For their part, the home residents really enjoy hearing the youngsters read and talking to them about the books they’ve brought in, as well also chatting with them about their own lives and things they’ve done.
Resident Pauline Pike said: “I think it’s fantastic. I think we both learn something from each other. I think the children learn from us, and we certainly learn from them.”
The weekly Book Buddies session at Belong Morris Feinmann
Meanwhile, across at Didsbury Library a weekly chess club – running for a year now – provides the chance for would-be Grandmasters of all ages and all abilities to take each other on in sometimes tense table-top chess matches, learning new moves and strategies from each other as they talk and play, each vying to reach checkmate first.
Didsbury Library is also the venue for a special intergenerational digital drop-in session that takes place each week.
Talking tech and understanding all the ins and outs of how to get the most out of it is of course what young people often have a particular knack for and pupils at Barlow RC High School are no exception. They’ve been putting their digital skills to good use over the last year by partnering with local charity Didsbury Good Neighbours to offer free tech training to any adults in the community who need it at the weekly drop-in sessions in the library.
The weekly digi drop-in sessions run by pupils from The Barlow RC High
Over in north Manchester the King William Angling Society based in Boggart Hole Clough offers a chance for young and old to put away their tech and enjoy the great outdoors together as they try their hand at the fine art of fishing.
With a variety of fish of all sizes including Bream and Tench, Rudd, Perch, and Carp, all ready to be netted, the Society is running special intergenerational sessions this weekend on Saturday 26 April for young anglers to bring their grandparents along to learn to fish together – with all equipment and bait provided.
Also in north Manchester, Heaton Park is inviting families to come together in the park this Saturday with their oldest and youngest family members and bring a picnic with them to enjoy together before taking a walk amongst the many blossom-filled trails full of spring colours, enjoying the ever-popular playground, or maybe taking a boat out on the lake in the park.
Global Intergenerational Week 2025 takes place as Manchester journeys towards becoming a UNICEF recognised Child Friendly City – helping make Manchester the best place for a child to grow up in – a place where children are not only respected, but also where their voices are heard and they’re encouraged to participate in and play an active role in their local communities.
Councillor Julie Reid, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, Manchester City Council, said: “Anyone who was lucky enough to grow up with much-loved grandparents, aunts and uncles or other older adults in their lives will already know how special these relationships across the generations can be and how much the different generations can learn from each other. Not everyone however has been so fortunate or may no longer have these people in their lives, which is why creating opportunities for our younger and older generations in the city to get together and spend time with each other, enjoying each other’s company, helping each other, and learning new things, is so important.”
Alongside the city’s ambition to be recognised as a Child Friendly City is its long-standing involvement in the World Health Organisation’s network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities – helping to ensure that people over the age of 50 in Manchester age well and have a happy and successful later life with greater independence and connectedness to their communities.
Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, said: “All generations can benefit from each other and here in Manchester, there are lots of opportunities for them to connect, share their skills, and not only stave off loneliness but benefit from each other’s wisdom, whatever it is, it’s important that they get the chance to come together.”
Find out more information about Global Intergenerational Week in Manchester and activities across the city.
Find out more information about Global Intergenerational Week
