Town storytellers invited to fun week at town care home (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Town storytellers invited to fun week at town care home

9:40am Friday 4th January 2013 in News

STAFF and residents at a Bromsgrove care home are encouraging townsfolk to get involved with a fun week of storytelling.

Anyone with a fable, poem or story to share is being asked to get in touch with staff at Bupa-owned care home Heathbrook House in Stoke Heath, which is celebrating National Storytelling Week.

The care home is hosting special reading events during the week, being held nationally between January 26-February 2, and wants Bromsgrove residents to get involved by sharing their own stories.

Siobhan Drane, from Bupa, said: “Our residents love listening to stories and this is a great way to get members of the local community involved and bring different generations together as people of all ages can take part.

“Hopefully these events will help maintain the ancient art of storytelling and encourage people to keep the tradition alive.”

Siobhan added they were appealing for all storytellers, both traditional and modern.

The Reader Organisation, a charity which has been working in care homes and promotes the links between reading and wellbeing, is also supporting the initiative.

Emma Gibbons, from the charity, said: “Reading poetry and stories aloud certainly has a positive effect on older people’s state of mind, so this appeal is a fantastic way of getting others to join in with a simple, yet therapeutic, past time.”

A competition has also been launched by Bupa across its care homes nationally, to find the best book cover designed by residents.

Anyone interested in attending or taking part in Heathbrook House’s storytelling event is asked to call 0845 600 4622 or email storytellingweek@bupa.com.