Community Connections: A Special Visit from Spelthorne Police Cadets
At The Burlington, we truly believe that community connection is at the heart of a happy home. Recently, we were reminded just how powerful those connections can be.
We were delighted to welcome a wonderful group of Spelthorne Police Cadets into our home for an evening filled with conversation, laughter, and meaningful moments. The visit came by Caroline, Police Constable and Youth Engagement Officer, who was keen to explore opportunities for the cadets to spend time with our residents as part of their community engagement programme.
The Life Enrichment Programme
The Spelthorne Police Cadets and our Life Enrichment Programme both encourages connecting with people from the local community to build lasting relationships enabling residents at The Burlington to take part in exciting activities that enable to nurture friendships and share like-minded interests. Both the Spelthorne Police Cadets and our residents were able to share experiences and knowledge with others where they were able to develop new skills and sharing ideas through creative activities enabling both the Spelthorne Police Cadets and our residents to connect, contribute and grow within the community.
An Evening At The Burlington
From the moment they arrived, the cadets fitted right in. They kindly helped our team serve dinner, and tea and coffee before settling into the piano bar, where the evening really came to life. Residents and cadets spent time chatting, sharing life stories, and enjoying a selection of board games, a simple but incredibly special way to bring generations together.
One touching moment came from the interaction between the cadets and our resident Gerry. Gerry himself was once a police cadet and later went on to serve as a police constable and seeing him reminisce and connect with the cadets was truly heart-warming. Stories were exchanged, experiences compared, and there was a real sense of understanding.
Visits like this perfectly capture what life at The Burlington is all about: warmth, companionship, and feeling part of something bigger. For our residents, it’s a chance to connect with the wider community and share their rich life experiences. For the cadets, it’s an opportunity to learn, listen, and build empathy through real human connection.
Reflecting on the visit, Margielyn Gonzaga, Home Manager at The Burlington, shared: “It was such a joy to see our residents and the cadets connecting so naturally. Moments like Gerry sharing his own policing memories were incredibly special and remind us just how valuable these intergenerational visits are. We’re so proud to be part of a community that brings people together in such a meaningful way.”
Caroline Barnes, Police Constable and Youth Engagement Officer said, “All the cadets enjoyed the evening, and it was lovely to see them engaging so well with the residents and lovely to see the residents enjoying playing the games with the cadets too. We look forward to arranging another visit to The Burlington soon!”
We’re incredibly grateful to Caroline and the Spelthorne Police Cadets for spending their evening with us, and we hope this will be the first of many visits. Moments like this stay with us long after the cups are cleared away, and they remind
