A New Tredegar care home resident has found social media fame following a video for National Storytelling Week.

Mary Burchell, 84, a resident at White Rose Care Home featured in the special video on the home’s Facebook page as part of the national initiative.

Mary chose to read ‘Hairy Maclary Scattercat’ by Lynley Dodd for National Storytelling Week which sets out to encourage storytelling and reading for people young and old.

Though the book was very different to the style of her childhood favourite, Winnie the Pooh, she recited the book beautifully and received lots of compliments from the page’s followers.

The storytime provided White Rose care home residents with the perfect opportunity to reminisce with each other about their favourite books when they were children. Some of the top favourites included Pippi Longstocking, Swallows and Amazons and Just William.

Reminiscing About the Past

Reminiscence activities play a big part in daily activity plans throughout all our homes, as it gives our residents the chance to engage in meaningful conversation with one another.

Often, for people living with dementia, recent memories are the ones that deteriorate first, therefore spending time talking about earlier memories can help to develop positive feelings, promote inclusion and reduce stress and agitation.

Mary said: “I had a lot of fun reading Hairy Maclary Scattercat to our followers on Facebook. It was a very different style to my childhood favourite, Winnie the Pooh, but it was a very enjoyable story!”

Jane Coburn, home manager at White Rose care home, said: “Celebrating National Storytelling Week is very important to us as a home as it gives us an opportunity to share stories with one another. This can be childhood favourites, adult fiction or even telling our own stories to each other.

“The residents had a lot of fun and we have discovered some fantastic new stories to get stuck into!”

Click here to find out more about White Rose Care Home

Or click here to search for care homes in your area

A resident at White Rose Care Home in New Tredegar was treated to an afternoon of tea and cake by the home on White Rose Way as part of her 105^th birthday celebrations in September.

Nellie Dando enjoyed a party planned by the staff at White Rose care home, where she celebrated her special day with fellow residents and her son, Kenneth Dando, who also lives at the home.

Nellie was born in New Tredegar and moved to London as a teenager, she returned to Wales years later to care for her grandmother. She has two sons, Ivor who lives in Australia and Kenneth, a fellow White Rose resident who moved in at the start of the pandemic. Nellie loves knitting and spends most of her day stitching and purling. She also loves singing along to music during activity afternoon sessions!

A Royal Treat

Nellie received lots of lovely gifts and cards from her loved ones but was particularly pleased with the card she received from Her Majesty the Queen.

Staff worked hard to make the day special because the rest of Nellie’s family were unable to visit due to the restrictions in place in Wales at the time.

Nellie said: “I had a lovely time celebrating my birthday at White Rose with the lovely staff and my friends. Although I’m no spring chicken, I’m always up for a party and some cake. It was fantastic!”

Nellie’s son, Kenneth, 83, said: “It was a very nice day. Mum really enjoyed it. It’s very good here and we’d like to thank the staff for being so kind to us.”

Throughout the pandemic, we have remained determined to ensure our residents enjoy the best possible celebration on their birthdays.

Click here to find out more about White Rose Care Home

Or click here to search for care homes in your area