Residents at Carey Lodge enjoyed sharing stories with children from a local nursery during National Storytelling Week.

Tots and teachers from Little Acorns Nursery paid a special visit to Carey Lodge on Thursday 1st February to recount two of their current favourite reads: ‘The Ravenous Beast’ and ‘The Large Family: A Quiet Night In’.

The event was organised to celebrate the power of storytelling as a great way of connecting generations, sparking the imagination and creating interesting conversations during the national awareness week.

The children enjoyed listening to resident, Lillian Ladd, telling them the tale of ‘The Three Little Pigs’, a fable that is thought to have dated back to the 19th century. They also came prepared with special pig masks they had created in anticipation of the visit, to embrace the opportunity to act out the parts.

Carey Lodge has established a great relationship with Little Acorns over the past few years and believes strongly in the value of intergenerational activities that benefit both young and older people. Evidence from research studies* shows that the creation of intergenerational activities is also beneficial for those living with dementia and helps to raise awareness and educate young people at the same time.

Clare Hedge, home manager of Carey Lodge, said:

“We thoroughly enjoyed our visit from the children at Little Acorns. It’s really important for us to feel part of the local community as it enables our residents to feel truly connected and it encourages relationships to thrive.”

Caroline York, manager of Little Acorns Nursery commented:

“It was very special to mark National Storytelling Week in this way and to bring generations together to share experiences and learn from each other.”

Sue Faulkner, leisure and lifestyle manager at The Fremantle Trust, added:

“Our event was a lovely opportunity to explore how treasured stories stand the test of time. Books are a brilliant way of bringing people together and inspiring reminiscence as well as exploring the power of imagination.”

*Source - Dementia Awareness and Intergenerational Exchange in Schools - University of Worcester, Association of Dementia Studies.