VR tour brings Tyne Bridge history to life

Residents of two local care homes have been the first to experience a unique virtual reality tour celebrating the iconic Tyne Bridge.

Alexandra House in Gateshead and Orchard Mews in Benwell hosted sessions for residents to explore the VR tour, which uses 360-degree footage and archival content to narrate the bridge’s history, from its construction to its ongoing restoration.

And it is safe to say that the residents who took part and were able to reminisce about their memories of the Tyne Bridge, River Tyne and surrounding areas were impressed.

One resident said: “Wow, it feels like I’m flying, I’m currently over St. James’ Park and I can see a kittiwake flying right in-front of me, it’s flying down to the Tyne Bridge.”

Another was transported to their time as a youngster, adding: “I moved away when I was five or six-year-old but I used to come and stay in Newcastle with my grandparents in the holidays. I remember knowing I was home once I saw the bridge.”

Produced by Esh Construction, Radius and VR Care, the immersive experience is part of the restoration project led by Esh on behalf of Newcastle and Gateshead councils, as the refurbishment of the Tyne Bridge continues in preparation of its centenary in 2028.

Kate Marshall, Esh Construction’s social value manager, is overseeing the community engagement as part of the restoration project and described the VR tour as a unique opportunity that provides something different for locals and tourists alike.

“The Tyne Bridge is approaching its 100th birthday and developing this experience as part of the restoration programme provides a great way for people to learn more about its rich history.

“Residents of local care homes are likely to have their own stories to share from across the years, so Alexandra House and Orchard Mews seemed the perfect place to visit first.”

The tour was produced by Mark Kendrick, founder of VR Care, who has been delivering VR in care homes and hospices since 2019. He added: “We have found that 360-degree video experiences are a great way for residents to get up close to nature, go on city tours and look around places of interest.

“The Tyne Bridge VR Tour has been a great project for us, using new VR filmmaking techniques to combine green screen filming to superimpose a TV presenter inside a VR Tour of a landmark and utilising Google Earth Studio to create a VR flyover the River Tyne so that residents feel like they are flying over Newcastle and Gateshead.

“It was great seeing the reactions of care home residents on the launch of the VR tour, and more importantly, seeing the positive and meaningful conversations that were had in a group activity.”

Jessica Lawrence, senior marketing manager for Radius’ Telecoms and IT business, who helped facilitate the VR project, also added: “We are delighted to collaborate on this initiative, delivering care-enriching technology solutions to organisations like Alexandra House and Orchard Mews.

“At Radius, we are passionate about improving lives through innovative technology, and working alongside Esh Construction and VR Care has allowed us to bring this experience to fruition.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see how these immersive VR experiences can spark memories, create meaningful connections, and enrich the lives of residents.

“We are proud to be part of a project that celebrates the Tyne Bridge, a beloved and iconic part of the city’s history.”

The project, funded by the UK Government and the councils, aims to engage the local community while the restoration is in progress. The VR tour will also be available to the public at the upcoming Tyne Bridge Information Hub in Newcastle, with bespoke sessions offered to care homes via the project’s website here.

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