A story that’s plot on – Epsom care home residents read bedtime stories to local children

Residents at a care home in Epsom have been reading well-known bedtime stories to local school children as part of a nationwide initiative to celebrate National Storytelling Week. 

Epsom may seem a little quieter than usual after residents from Care UK’s Appleby House, on Longmead Road, welcomed children from Epsom Primary School into the home for a retelling of The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, and other popular childhood stories.  

To celebrate National Storytelling Week, Care UK has created the Bedtime Stories initiative which sees residents across the UK read classic bedtime stories to young children. The campaign, which includes the launch of four free videos of residents reading famous stories, ensures children who may not have a grandparent do not miss out on a magical tale before bedtime.

At Appleby House, 95-year-old resident, Bridget Parry, asked the children to bring along their favourite book or one they were reading in class. After a show of hands to decide which story was read, Bridget and the children decided to read The Gruffalo.

Commenting on the afternoon, Bridget said: “I loved reading to the children, but what I enjoyed most was listening to them read to me.” 

Shona Bradbury, Home Manager at Appleby House, said: “We’ve had a wonderful week of storytelling here at Appleby House. Whether it’s Peter Pan flying us to Neverland or Alice taking us down the rabbit hole, children’s literature is often the first key to unlocking our imaginations and nurturing a lifelong love of reading – so it was great to welcome Epsom Primary School children to Appleby House. 

“Intergenerational activities are incredibly enriching for all ages and provide a fantastic opportunity for residents and children to interact with one another. The youngsters were able to soak up a wonderful story and the residents benefited from gaining a different perspective from the children on a well-known story. It’s fantastic to host a session such as this to allow the two generations to spend time with one another.

“We thoroughly enjoyed hosting the ‘Bedtime Stories’ reading session with the schoolchildren and hope that we have helped them to continue building a love of reading.”

To watch four Bedtime Stories read by Care UK residents, or for more information about the Bedtime Stories initiative, visit: careuk.com/bedtime-stories

Appleby House has been designed to encourage residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while remaining as independent as possible in a safe environment. The modern care home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care.

To find out more about Appleby House, please call 0333 4343 002 or email Home Manager, Shona Bradbury, at Shona.Bradbury@careuk.com   

For more general information, visit careuk.com/appleby-house