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

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

Halstead may seem a little quieter than usual after residents from Care UK’s Colne View, on Dame Mary Walk, visited children from Park Pre-School for a retelling of a range of stories, including The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson and The Truth According to Arthur by Tim Hopgood.

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 Colne View, 90-year-old resident, Jean Sullivan, read The Smartest Giant in Town to a group of three children. Jean said: “I really enjoyed reading to the children – it reminded me of when I used to read to my own children when they were much younger.”

Monica Boldeata, Home Manager at Colne View, said: “We’ve had a wonderful week of storytelling here at Colne View. 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 visit the children at Park Pre-School. 

“We all remember stories told to us as children, often before bedtime, and find comfort in adulthood in these memories. Unfortunately, we know this isn’t the case for all children, so we wanted to provide an alternate experience for Halstead children who may not be lucky enough to have someone to read to them.

“Intergenerational relationships and initiatives, like Bedtime Stories, can be incredibly beneficial to both younger and older people alike and can provide residents with a sense of wellbeing and purpose. 

“It has been heart-warming to see the residents share stories from their own childhood and read a number of newer stories like The Smartest Giant in Town with the children. We look forward to visiting the children from Park Pre-School again soon.”

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

Colne View is a care home designed to deliver the very best standards of care, and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home offers a range of services including residential care, residential dementia care and respite care.

For more information about Colne View, please call Customer Relations Manager, Kim Richardson on 01787 389474 or email kim.richardson@careuk.com 

For general information please visit, careuk.com/colne-view