Nearly 80 schoolchildren from five Shropshire primary schools came together at St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury, to perform Home Is Here, a moving showcase of songs, poetry, and spoken word pieces created in collaboration with care-home residents and older people from across the county.

The performance marked the culmination of a two-month intergenerational programme delivered by Pentabus, and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Over the course of the autumn term, pupils worked with residents and older community members to explore themes of friendship, community, memory, wellbeing, and what it means to call Shropshire “home”. Workshops took place in care settings and were led by poet and spoken-word artist Henry Maddicott and songwriter Rhian Jackson.

Anna Mullock, class teacher at Newcastle CE Primary School near Craven Arms, said:

“It was wonderful to see the intergenerational conversations and connections. The older members of the community absolutely loved coming into school. On the day of the show, I watched pupils transform from nervous, shy children into confident performers who owned their place on the stage. It was amazing to watch this happen.”

Parents echoed the impact:

“I enjoyed every moment – what a great experience, hearing the children and old people speak about Shropshire.”
“They were so wonderful – the children were sparkling.”

Participating schools

  • Bryn Offa CE Primary School

  • St Lawrence CE Primary School

  • Rushbury CE Primary School

  • Newcastle CE Primary School (Blue Hills Federation)

  • St Mary’s CE Primary School (Blue Hills Federation)

Participating care settings and community partners

  • Barchester – Field House Care Home

  • The Sandford Nursing Home

  • Onny Cottage Care Home

  • Brooke House Care Home

  • Plus wider Shropshire community participants

Joanna Freeman, Head of Engagement at Pentabus, said:

“It was an absolute joy to witness the creativity and confidence of Shropshire’s school children as they filled St Chad’s Church with their own songs and poetry. The energy, imagination, and courage they brought to the stage, and their reflections of time spent with older people across the county during this project, created a heart-warming celebration of what it means to call Shropshire home. It was a real reminder of how art can bring communities together.”

Young Writers Programme now open

Alongside Home Is Here, Pentabus has opened applications for its Young Writers Programme, a free part-time scriptwriting course for aspiring writers aged 18–30 based in Shropshire, Wales, and the West Midlands. The programme culminates in a professional performance at the Young Writers Festival in July.

Application deadline: 9am, 5 January
More information: https://pentabus.co.uk/local-young-writers