Cokethorpe School and Rosebank Care Home Unveil Wishing Tree Mural
Residents at Rosebank Care Home have been busy creating something a little out of the ordinary, with the help of some enthusiastic students from nearby Cokethorpe School.
During Curriculum Enrichment Week, sixth form students spent several days working alongside residents to create a large Wishing Tree mural inside the home. The finished artwork features handwritten wishes, memories and reflections from residents on decorative hanging tags and was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the home.
Dr Chris Flaherty, Head of Science at Cokethorpe and the driving force behind the partnership, said:
“The Wishing Tree really became something special. Residents shared memories, wishes and stories and it brought everyone together in a very meaningful way.”
Residents said the project opened up conversation and encouraged creativity, bringing a real sense of companionship, while students got to hear stories and perspectives they wouldn’t find in their classrooms.
The Wishing Tree is one part of a wider partnership between Rosebank and Cokethorpe. When Rosebank staff put out a request for a violinist to perform for a resident living with dementia, a sixth former was kind enough to volunteer to visit and play. The resident responded positively to violin music, and staff said the performance was a clear example of how strongly music can connect with memory.
Some students have also taken part in singing visits to the home, with younger pupils from Cokethorpe Prep School visiting regularly too. And most recently, lower sixth students supported Rosebank’s Dementia Awareness cake sale in Bampton Market Square, helping to ice and decorate cakes alongside the school’s catering team, raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Rosebank is proud of the relationship with Cokethorpe School and hopes to see it continue to develop over the coming years.
