Edinburgh care home hosts special storytelling session

Residents at a care home in Edinburgh have been reading classic children’s books to a local nursery to mark National Storytelling Week.  

87-year-old Jenny Copley, a resident at Care UK’s Murrayside, in Corstorphine, and former Junior School teacher, relived her school days and shared her love of reading with children from Bright Sparks Nursery. 

On the day, Jenny picked one of her favourite classics from children’s literature, ‘The Secret Garden’ to read aloud. After the storytelling session, everyone sat together to get to know each other over a host of tasty snacks. 

Commenting on the afternoon, Jenny said: “They were brilliant, all showing so much interest in the book. I used to love reading to the children.” 

Suzanne Welsh, Home Manager at Murrayside, said: “We’ve loved welcoming children from Bright Sparks Nursery into our home to celebrate National Storytelling Week. Jenny’s love of reading knows no bounds, so it meant a lot to her to be able to share this with them – she even put her teacher voice back on! 

“Intergenerational relationships have proven to be highly beneficial for all involved, as they offer residents a form of companionship and a stronger sense of purpose. It’s also given Jenny a great opportunity to reminisce on her career and share one of her favourite stories with the younger generation.

“We look forward to participating in National Storytelling Week for years to come.”

Murrayside has been designed to encourage residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while remaining as independent as possible in a safe environment. The state-of-the-art care home features a cinema, hair and beauty salon and café, and incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.