A Perth secondary school has been praised in parliament for its innovative approach to creating a Christmas concert for care home residents.
Bertha Park High School, in Perth, teamed up with Generations Working Together to create a virtual Christmas concert for older people to watch online.
Generations Working Together is an organisation which supports the development and integration of intergenerational work across Scotland.
Pupils pulled together a 30-minute show, made up of musical performances, poetry and stories and Christmas cracker jokes, and uploaded it to YouTube so it could be viewed care home residents and the wider community.
The efforts of the pupils and staff caught the attention of Christina McKelvie, minister for older people and equalities, who praised the concert during a debate in the Scottish Parliament last week.
She said: “Generations Working Together is Scotland’s intergenerational expert and a key member of our national implementation group and older people’s strategic action forum.
Here it is, our Virtual Christmas Concert. Thank you to all performers. What a monumental task it was recording everyone's part separately – but it was definitely worth it all! Enjoy this video whenever you wish! @BerthaParkHigh https://t.co/WUcj3G4HfW pic.twitter.com/HwZLdOwfwS
— BerthaParkMusic (@BerthaParkMusic) December 22, 2020
“It worked with pupils at Bertha Park High School to create a YouTube Christmas show for care home residents. Please watch the show—it is wonderful and it will make you feel better.”
Each performance was recorded individually before being pieced together for the full show, something which the school described as a “monumental task”.
And the talents of the Bertha Park pupils did not go unnoticed by the MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, who encouraged people to take the time to watch the show online.
She added: “I have watched it a couple of times. There is a poem in it called Hope by a young woman called LilyAnna. At the end of the poem, she says, embrace it, hope.
“That is an excellent message, especially at Christmas, but also when we have hope in our vaccine coming.
“The children worked hard to learn the music, songs and jokes. They participated in the show in the knowledge that they will brighten up the day of thousands of care home residents across the country.
“Their talent is boundless – it is wonderful. Members have to hear Dan singing Bridge Over Troubled Water – it is incredibly poignant at this time. Please watch it.”
