REMINISCENCE sessions are being staged at care homes across the district.

Wartime items and footage from the Yorkshire Film Archive are being used to stir memories and prompt discussions among people who served in and lived during the war and other conflicts.

The Alzheimer’s Society has teamed up with Age UK Bradford’s Military Memories team on the NHS-backed initiative.

Brian Percival, project co-ordinator for Military Memories, said: “War veterans living in care homes can get a bit lost in the system. I visit men who served in Korea, Burma and in National Service and encourage them to talk about their memories. Their service years are so important to them but some of them tell me they don’t think anyone will be interested.”

Brian is collecting stories and anecdotes for a schools’ pack, comprising a DVD, recorded interviews and photographs, funded by the Ministry of Defence.

“As well as history it covers a range of subjects, such as citizenship,” he says. “I take military veterans into schools – I went to one school with a paratrooper and a full-scale parachute, the children loved it. Meeting someone who has done active service brings history alive for them. And once veterans realise that children are interested, it’s a great boost for them and encourages social engagement.”

At Heaton Grange care home, residents watched short films, looking at the Home Guard, the Land Army and evacuees.

Various items were passed around – a gas mask, a pack of darts, a pair of children’s ice skates, an old ginger beer bottle, a 1950s sweet tin, a bar of Fairy soap, a tea strainer, a newspaper, and a powdered egg tin. Some items are found at car boot sales, others are donated.

Watching footage of the Home Guard marching with wooden rifles at Oxenhope, Bill Kenney, 82, talked about his days in National Service. “I lied about my age, said I was 17,” he smiled. “We used real rifles in ammunition training. And we had to shine our shoes so the sergeant could see his face in them. For a lad like me, it was an adventure.”

Vicky Thompson, manager at both Heaton Grange and Regency Court care home in Keighley, said: “The residents look forward to Brian coming in and are always asking when the next session is.

“We’ve seen a great improvement in interaction between the residents through this work.”

* For more about the project call Julie Duerden at the Alzheimer’s Society on 07483 926 212 or e-mail Julie.duerden@alzheimers.org.uk.