SWAPPING stories about their different lives and times has helped Frodsham youngsters and elderly residents bridge the generation gap.

An intergenerational storytelling project, led by Frodsham Youth Association, brought together 22 young people and seven senior citizens who met once a week for two months to chat about their life experiences and special events they had witnessed.

All the stories told by the seniors were then written into a script by local dramatist, Simon Taylor, and acted out by both seniors and young people in a unique performance for an 80-strong audience at Frodsham Youth Club in Fluin Lane which concluded the eight-week project, funded by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Pensioners Ken Blasberry and Derek Newbolt described their lives during World War Two, being evacuated as children to North Wales and how sad they felt to leave their familes.

They spoke about how different football was back then and the important role the sport played in lifting people’s spirits.

Frank Pickerill told of his time living in Sierra Leone and how he came close to being attacked by a snake.

Three ladies from Newton Hall care home in Kingsley also talked about the war and what life was like then in Frodsham and Norley.

Youth leader Nicola Miloleizik said the pilot project was so successful that, pending funding, the youth association hoped to run more intergenerational projects next year.

She said: “The aim was to develop greater understanding between the generations and for them to present their life stories through storytelling, an art being lost through social networking on the internet.