A NEW guide designed to help the community reach out to elderly people has been produced by Kendal students.

Kirkbie Kendal sixth form pupils spent several months on a mission with charity Age UK to work out ways of bridging the generation gap.

Fashion shoots, talent contests, IT and music were among the ways students brought old and young together – and their work is now the focus of a Finding Common Ground booklet.

Claire English, of Age UK, said: “All the students involved in the project were enthusiastic, professional and mature at all times. They spoke with great respect to older people and listened with interest to their stories.”

Kirkbie Kendal students worked with Sight Advice South Lakeland, Hallgarth Senior Citizens’ Group, Edgecombe Court and Gallowbarrow residents, coming up with fun sessions that would appeal to both generations.

At Edgecombe Court they recreated sepia images from residents’ personal photograph albums and at Hallgarth they entertained members with a talent show.

One resident said: “It only takes a few to give young people a bad name - but this lot were fantastic– it’s been a pleasure seeing them.”

Students Tom Bellas, Dale Garnett and Joe Turner were praised by Age UK for their work at Gallowbarrow which Claire said ‘went beyond what was expected of them’.

Age UK now hope that community and voluntary groups will find inspiration from the guide for their own projects.

KKW head teacher Phil Hyman said: “It has been a fantastic learning experience for Kirkbie Kendal students and an opportunity to demonstrate care, courtesy and consideration. I hope that there will be future partnership work.”