Keen trainee massage therapists from The Royal National College for the Blind have been lending a helping hand to residents in a Hereford care home.

Students from the college in Venns Lane have been visiting local Brockington House Care home in Hafod Road, as part of their studies for the massage and complementary therapies course.

The student trainees have been putting their skills to the test at the care home, providing Indian head, feet and hand massages to the care homes residents as part of a new intergenerational initiative.

Jim Wallis, a lecturer at The Royal National College for the Blind, said: “The students are going to work with lots of different people during the careers, so being able to help and interact with all generations is an important part of their training.

“They are enjoying their visits to Brockington House and it’s clear to see how the ladies and gentlemen are benefiting too, not just on the physical side, but mentally as well through their interactions with the students.”

Brockington House activities lead Tara Chatterly-Russell said: “Over the last couple of years we have had individual students from the college coming into the home to undertake work experience so we thought it would be even more beneficial to invite the whole group.

“Our ladies and gentlemen very much look forward to the visits and it’s become an important part of our intergenerational care activity programme.

“Some of our residents don’t have, or see, grandchildren or great grandchildren so this is a great way of helping them mix and interact with the younger generation.”

RNBC students have thrived in the intergenerational care programme, which has allowed them get valuable experience in their professional field.

The programme was started by Brockington House last year, with students from Hereford College of Art and Hereford Sixth Form College taking part in a "national first" portrait artist of the year competition at the Hafod Road care home.

Residents and staff were so delighted with the programmes success that student visits have now become a regular part of their art classes, with the second portrait artist of the year competition taking place recently.