Over the last two months more than 80 people have been involved in the Generations Together project, enjoying a wide range of activities. Both older and younger volunteers organised the brilliant parties at Mary Seacole House, bringing lots of joy to the residents.During Volunteers’ Week they learned how to make jewellery, and fundraised for children and babies in Queen Charlotte’s Hospital.

On 29th April, 6th May and 14th May, our volunteers organised three special parties for the 30 elderly residents living in Mary Seacole House. The 10th anniversary of Mary Seacole House was planned and run by our volunteers who organised a Jamaican party celebrating the pioneering nurse and heroine of the Crimean War. This party was a great opportunity for all of us to learn about Mary Seacole’s legacy and become inspired by her amazing life, while flower arranging, painting flower pots and dancing to Jamaican music.

As with many of our volunteers and beneficiaries, Mary was a woman of mixed race. Her father was a Scottish soldier, and her mother a Jamaican. Mary learned her nursing skills from her mother, who kept a boarding house for invalid soldiers. Being of mixed race, Mary and her family had few civil rights - they could not vote, hold public office or enter the professions. In 1854, Seacole travelled to England and approached the War Office, asking to be sent as an army nurse to the Crimea where there was known to be poor medical facilities for wounded soldiers, but she was refused.

Without letting this discourage her, Seacole funded her own trip to the Crimea where she established a British hostel for sick and convalescent officers. She also visited the battlefield, sometimes under fire, to nurse the wounded, and became known as ‘Mother Seacole’.

Nowadays, in Hammersmith and Fulham, Mary Seacole’s Residential House is a home for elderly residents and continues to be an inspiration for a large number of people.

The contribution of our volunteers was highly appreciated by the management of Mary Seacole House who decided to nominate them for the Volunteers’ Award Ceremony. On Friday 4th June the inter-generational group received certificates from Cllr Joe Carlebach and Stephen Burke, vice-chair of HFVC.