Teenagers from a Norwich college are providing a valuable friendly face for elderly people living with dementia.

Eastern Daily Press: Students from Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form College in Norwich have been trained as YOPEY dementia befrienders to help residents at St John's House care home. Picture: YOPEYStudents from Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form College in Norwich have been trained as YOPEY dementia befrienders to help residents at St John's House care home. Picture: YOPEY (Image: YOPEY)

The students from Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form College were recruited and trained by charity YOPEY as dementia befrienders at St John's House care home in Norwich.

Since passing government DBS (disclosure and barring service) checks, the young people have been making weekly trips from the school in Bethel Street to the care home to spend time with its residents. About half of the Heigham Road home's residents have dementia, and some do not get any visitors.

At the end of their training the students, aged 16 to 18, were presented with YOPEY Befriender badges.

Tony Gearing, founder of Suffolk-based YOPEY, said: 'The partnership between Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form and St John's House is in its early stage, but I hope it will become a well trodden path between school and care home.'