It was a chance meeting be­tween Brighton Council’s Youth Engagement Worker, John Flack, and some members of the local Bridgewater School for Se­niors that started it all. John has a regular ‘bumping spot’ at the Brighton Civic Centre in Bridge­water, where during the warmer months he sets up on the lawns every Wednesday with some djembe drums as a way of engaging with young people as they come and go. Young people can stop, have a chat or simply sit down and join with John on the drums, with no need to say anything if they don’t want to. John can also be found drum­ming every Thursday afternoon, rain, hail or shine at Bond Place in Gagebrook, another popular local bumping spot.

It was a warm sunny afternoon at the Civic Centre when Shirley from School for Seniors noticed John with the drums and asked if he would go along to a meet­ing to do a demonstration of the drumming and talk about the benefits. This prompted a group of ladies to purchase their own drums, and with John’s guidance they worked up to the idea of approaching Gagebrook Primary School to ask if they could undertake an intergener­ational drumming activity with students.

The djembe, a traditional West African drum, has always been more than an instrument. Its deep, resonant tones have for centuries been used to bring people together, to mark occa­sions of joy and sadness. In the Gagebrook Primary School mu­sic room, these ancient rhythms are finding new meaning.

Monica, Dot, Lorraine and Norma from School for Seniors, with the support of John, started a five week program of drumming sessions in the primary school with a small group of students from grades 4, 5 and 6. The idea is to use the djembe drums as a tool to create meaningful connection between two age groups often seen as worlds apart.

John explains, “The sessions begin with sitting in a circle and a simple calming beat, like a heart beat to help regulate the students’ energy levels, followed by a range of different drumming games designed to support focus, co-operation, connection and fun.”

The students have eagerly ar­rived each session full of excite­ment and anticipation for their time with the ladies and John.

For the seniors, the experience has also become something they look forward to. Norma says, “It gets us out of the house and we enjoy the company. We have seen a real sense of kindness and care for us from the young people. They are respectful but always curious, particularly about what it is like to be an old person. We have gotten to know each other over the weeks. They have asked us how old we are, and we have answered honestly of course. We all are learning together and we love that they are cheeky and full of energy.”

One of the students, Izzy, de­scribes the experience, “It is not just about a break from class, we have fun getting to know each other and feel that we get a little bit of attention from the older people, we feel special. We don’t ever want to ‘rage quit’ when we are drumming.”

John says, “The djembe drums are the hook, but the real magic happens in between the beats. You see a young person help an older person find their rhythm, or hear a senior tell a story about their experience of learning the drums and making mistakes. They teach each other patience, kindness, and courage.”

The group has been practicing for a performance in the school’s final assembly and it is fair to say the performance in front of the entire school community was a small triumph for this little drumming group.

At the end of the performance, to a round of loud applause, the seniors presented Brierley, Izzy and Jaida with a Certificate of Appreciation for their enthusiastic participation in the group and it is hoped the sessions will continue in Term 3, bridging generations, and building a little community, one rhythm at a time.

Brighton Council, along with Monica, Dot, Lorraine and Norma, would like to thank Gagebrook Primary School for welcoming them into the school and the privilege of being able to spend time with the young people in such a fulfilling and meaningful way.