Residents at Bayview Care Home in Cruden Bay are feeling the love this week, after receiving a surprise pen pal letter, cards and handmade positivity bracelets from a local primary school.

All 28 of the care home residents at Meallmore run Bayview Care Home have been paired with a pen pal from Port Erroll Primary School in a pupil-led initiative to tackle loneliness.  

Part of a social enterprise project looking into curing diseases, pupils in P5/6 at Port Erroll Primary School identified that older people can sometimes feel isolated and lonely. In a bid to cheer any residents who might be feeling this way, they decided to share messages of positivity and friendship with their local care home.

Once visiting restrictions have lifted, the pupils hope to visit their pen pals at the care home.  

Sharon Nacario, Care Home Manager at Bayview Care Home, commented: “The current government restrictions mean our residents have not been socialising to the same levels that they have been in the past.  Although restrictions are now easing, we could definitely all do with some more fun and cheer in the world.

“When Miss Taylor at Port Erroll Primary got in touch about the pen pal initiative, we were thrilled that our residents could take part. Something as simple as receiving a letter is guaranteed to brighten up someone’s day and we look forward to receiving more letters from the pupils in the weeks ahead.”

Amie Taylor, Teacher at Port Erroll Primary School, added: “After learning more about how loneliness can affect people, our primary 5/6 pupils came up with the wonderful idea of being pen pals with the Bayview Residents all on their own. I am really proud of their enthusiasm and desire to help others in our local community.”

Bayview Care Home, located on Prospect Terrace in Cruden Bay, is run by Meallmore Ltd and provides excellent standards of care for its residents, including those living with dementia.