Children from Robins class at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Barnard Castle enjoyed a special visit to The Manor, where they spent time sharing some of their favourite stories with residents as part of the National Year of Reading and the school's commitment to "Going All In" with reading.
The visit provided a wonderful opportunity for pupils and residents to come together through a shared love of books and storytelling. The children were full of enthusiasm and conversation, chatting about everything from Mrs T’s pink hair and driving the minibus to asking residents how loudly they could whistle. One pupil even sparked smiles and laughter by asking, "Do you know Tesco Tony sometimes comes to my house?"
The morning was filled with friendly conversation, laughter and meaningful connections as pupils and residents enjoyed spending time together. The children proudly shared their favourite stories and demonstrated confidence, kindness and excellent communication skills throughout the visit.
In a particularly heartwarming moment, Alfie kindly invited all of the residents to St Mary’s Catholic Primary School to meet his friends. The school hopes to welcome some of its visitors back for its Harvest Offerings Candle Time later this week.
Everyone at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School was delighted to see so many smiles during the visit. The experience highlighted the value of bringing different generations together and showed how reading can help build friendships and strengthen community connections.