ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE, IPSWICH

Teenagers! You Can Take Ours Anywhere

International boarder builds bridges of friendship across cultures and generations

Caring Marvin, a Lower Sixth student from St Joseph’s College Ipswich was among the young people celebrated at an awards event in an Ipswich care home. The event was laid on by the home and the West Suffolk charity which trains the teenagers to befriend people living with dementia.

Marvin has been visiting residents at Prince of Wales House for a year as a YOPEY Befriender, spending an hour or two each week with the residents, joining activities, playing games and conversing with the elderly folk.

Founder of the Newmarket charity YOPEY, Mr Tony Gearing MBE, said: ‘Keeping people with dementia mentally and physically active is believed to slow the progress of these terrible diseases.

At the same time, the young born in the 21st century are learning about the 20th century. Today, many people living in care homes were children in the Second World War. The young get to learn about the 1940s, fifties and sixties from people who were there.’

Certificates were presented to Befrienders by the High Sheriff of Suffolk, Mr Mark Pendlington.

St Joseph’s College Principal, Mrs Danielle Clarke, attended the presentation with Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Katherine SimpsonJacobs. Mrs Clarke said ‘The College is very proud of Marvin and the wonderful relationships he has built with the residents at Prince of Wales House. He has gained so much experience, knowledge and confidence from being a YOPEY Befriender – we have now expanded this opportunity ten-fold.’

Marvin, whose home is in Macao, is a popular international boarder at St Jo’s and is Head of the school’s Birkfield House. Despite being the only St Joseph’s student taking part last year, Marvin happily mixed in with the others in training and went on to show great resilience, visiting the care home alone weekly to spend time with its residents, some of whom have advanced dementia. This year he is leading a group of fellow St Joseph’s College students at Prince of Wales House.