HEN Blant Bach will be returning to S4C over Christmas and this time a group of elderly residents from Dyffryn Nantlle will be joining some new young friends to produce a very special Christmas show.

In previous programmes, Hen Blant Bach has shown that the elderly and young children sharing day care has advantages for both generations.

But how will the residents of the care home react as they perform with five-year-old children from local schools?

Directing the show is Ken Hughes from Dyffryn Nantlle, a 70-year-old former headteacher who has proved to be a huge success over the years with his musical shows and action songs in eisteddfodau all over Wales.

Having been retired for several years, he was worried about taking on this challenge.

“I have experience of working with children but no experience of working with the elderly,” said Ken.

“So creating a show with children aged five and adults in their 80s and 90s was a big challenge.”

Over a period of a few weeks, the residents of Plas Gwilym home in Penygroes and children from schools in Talysarn, Bro Lleu and Llanllyfni spent several entertaining hours in each others’ company and they got to know one another well. The challenge for Ken was to cast the main characters in the Nativity play from both generations, including some vulnerable residents.

“Getting to know and working with people who are suffering from dementia was a completely new experience for me but it has been a great pleasure,” said Ken.

“What is important is that everybody had the chance to take part and not be left in the corner because they are old.”

During the programme we will hear some really moving stories and have a sackful of fun as the two generations prepare for the performance.

We will see how Ken copes with the practical challenges as he comes to realise that it is not possible to stage the performance out in the community and he must think of creative ways to stage the show by building a stable in the Plas Gwilym home.

The show will air at 9pm on Sunday, 23 December.