Gateshead care home residents share traditional folklore with local pupils

A unique artistic project saw Gateshead care home residents share the delights of puppetry and folklore with local schoolchildren. 

Residents at Care UK’s Armstrong House, on Lobley Hill Road, visited the pupils at Brighton Avenue Primary School to share their local folklore tales through handmade shadow puppets.

In preparation for their visit, residents learnt the art of shadow puppetry over the course of five weeks with the help of local artists from Moving Parts Arts, and support from Big Local Gateshead. Together, they decided to use the medium to tell the tale of County Durham’s The Lambton Worm – a local legend about John Lambton and his battle with a giant worm. 

The home created a video of the story, complete with vocals from opera soprano Caroline Kennedy, which was shown to pupils on the day, as well as a behind the scenes documentary to show the creativity that brought the tale to life – with the aim of inspiring their younger friends. The entire project was coordinated by the home’s Lifestyle Lead, Gianclaudio Cepollaro – from the initial ideation to the creation of the final video. 

Tom Mcfall, a resident at Armstrong House, said: “I really enjoyed to be involved in the whole process; as a carpenter I enjoyed making things with hands and as a grandfather I enjoyed telling this story to the school kids.... and they were very interested.”

Another resident, Gaynor Owen, added: “As a teacher aid, I have always been involved schools, starting from nursery to upwards, so making this local folk story coming alive to it teach it to the kids it was something that I truly loved.”

Margaret Frater, Home Manager at Armstrong House, said: “We had a wonderful time bringing to life the local folklore tale that is The Lambton Worm. 

“Many residents first heard this tale growing up, and were keen to share their own interpretation of the tale with younger members of the community, to keep the tradition of folklore and local legends alive. The project has been a fantastic way to bring residents together, engage in new creative hobbies and allow them to pass on their knowledge to local children, all of which can be beneficial in promoting a sense of purpose in older people. 

“We’re already planning our next project which everyone is very excited about!”

Armstrong House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the home has plenty of space - both indoors and out - for relaxation and recreation. The home has a comprehensive activity programme, offering a mix of themed events, group activities and days out.