Such a Happy Time

‘Noah, a- nine-year-old Eden Primary pupil, reflects that "when you get talking to people, you know so much more about them than the person that you see". It is an observation on a 10-week creative arts programme which brought pupils from the Muswell Hill school to Jewish Care's Betty and Asher Loftus Centre in Friern Barnet.

There, children and residents took a trip back in time, exploring music, films, photos and treasured memories. To help pupils engage with the theme, artist Bob Karper, who facilitated the workshops, was dressed as his alter ego, 19th-century superhero Steampunk Bob.

"Steampunk mixes time in a fun way, looking at the future from the point of view of the past," he explained. "Young people have their futures ahead of them. Residents have lives that stretch back long into the past."

During workshops, scenes were recreated from the residents' lives, with children in acting, wardrobe and make-up roles, while residents were directors and producers. One scene focused on a special memory of Sypora Azizollah, 65, a former nursery nurse and singer and a keen artist who is now a resident at Lady Sarah Cohen House on the Friern Barnet complex. It recalled the trip for two to New York she won for her 30th birthday through a radio jingle competition.

"Seeing the children act this out brought back memories of such a happy time in my life," she said. "This is one of the best projects that I've taken part in. I wish the children could come here every day."

The children also acted out a 90th birthday celebration for resident Leonard Finkle with a guest list including the Queen, David Cameron and Mahatma Gandhi. When Mr Finkle was on British Army service in India, Gandhi boarded a train he was travelling on.

Along with Miss Azizollah, Mr Finkle visited the school for an assembly about the project where the scenes were replayed and 300 pupils sang happy birthday to him. "I don't know who enjoyed it more - us or the children."

Eden art teacher Laura Fox was delighted with the outcome. "We wanted the children to understand that older people have interesting lives and stories to share and I think this project really achieved that."

Headteacher Jo Sassienie hoped that the link with residents would be maintained. "We are looking forward to our next project with the home and we've asked Sippi if she'll come back to visit us to help the children in the art room."‘

— The Jewish Chronicle