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

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

Newbury may seem a little quieter than usual after residents from Care UK’s Winchcombe Place, on Maple Crescent, welcomed children from Happy Kids Pre-School into the home’s lounge for a special retelling of Paddington Bear.

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 Winchcombe Place, Alma Deaking, aged 88, and Helga Patrikios, aged 85, read the tale of the famous bear to the children as they listened eagerly. Helga said: “It was a joy to read to the children – they were all so well behaved and I loved that some of them were dressed as Paddington too!”

Residents chose to read Paddington Bear as the book has strong connections to the area as the author, Michael Bond, was born in Newbury. To help prepare themselves for sharing the story, residents also took a day trip to Paddington Station, in London, to immerse themselves in the life of the famous bear.

Shirley Summerbell, Home Manager at Winchcombe Place, said: “We’ve had a wonderful week of storytelling here at Winchcombe Place. 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 the children from Happy Kids Pre-School to Winchcombe Place. 

“We all remember stories told to us as children, often before bedtime, and find comfort in adulthood in these nostalgic memories. Unfortunately, we know this isn’t the case for all children, so we wanted to provide an alternate experience for Newbury 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 everyone enjoyed reading Paddington Bear – with the day trip to Paddington Station thoroughly enjoyed by residents and team members alike! We look forward to welcoming the children back to Winchcombe Place very 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

Winchcombe Place is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia and short-term respite care. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.

To find out more about Winchcombe Place, call Customer Relations Manager, Vicki Lambourne, on 01635 783098, or email vicki.lambourne@careuk.com

For more general information, visit careuk.com/winchcombe-place