LOCAL pre-school music provider Little Nightingales will be bringing some festive cheer to Wiltshire Heights Care Home in Bradford on Avon next week.

Toddlers and parents will meet up with residents in the latest outing of the group’s inter-generational service, ‘A Nightingale Sang’.

The session on Thursday, December 14 will focus on Christmas songs and activities as part of the home’s seasonal celebrations.

The ‘A Nightingale Sang’ sessions started at an assisted living setting in Bath last year. The service ties together a great musical experience for children aged six months to three years, and social time for mums.

By taking Little Nightingales into residential care settings like Wiltshire Heights, organiser Liz Newton hopes to build relationships between the two ends of the town’s community, build social cohesion, and provide a hugely positive experience for all involved.

Liz said: “Intergenerational projects like this are great for everyone involved.

“For the older generation it’s a chance to feel part of the community, and experience the pleasure of seeing young children playing and enjoying music.

“For toddlers and mums it helps to break down social barriers and even fear that’s associated with ageing. For both age-groups, there’s a huge body of evidence showing the benefit of music in development and health.”

Liz is a former primary school teacher and mum of two who set up Little Nightingales in January 2016 as a way to use her skills to continue helping the community.

Since then, Little Nightingales has worked with over 100 families in the Bradford on Avon area, running weekly sessions in Bradford and Staverton, as well as sessions each term in residential settings.