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

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

Hale Barns may seem a little quieter than usual after residents from Care UK’s Halecroft Grange, on Hale Road, welcomed children from Broussa Day Nursery into the home for a retelling of classic children’s tales. 

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.

To ensure the scene was set for a cosy afternoon spent reading, the team at Halecroft Grange decorated the home’s lounge with glow in the dark moon and star lights on the ceiling. With a virtual crackling fire on the home’s TV screen, the scene was set for the stories to begin. 

Commenting on the afternoon, resident Shirley said: “I absolutely loved reading to the children. I had a very captivated audience – which reminded me of when my children were at nursery age!”

Suzi Sumegi, General Manager at Halecroft Grange, said: “We always enjoy opening our doors to the local community, so it was fantastic to be joined by children from Broussa Day Nursery. 

“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 traditional 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

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Halecroft Grange, which remains open to potential residents, incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.

For more information on Halecroft Grange, please email Director of Community Relations, Sharon Parkes on Sharon.Parkes@careuk.com or call 0161 8202 779. 

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/halecroft-grange