Residents of an extra care scheme in Collier’s Wood have been joining local primary school pupils to explore the world of children’s literature in special story time sessions. Sanctuary’s Trellis House, on Mill Road, has played host to pupils from Merton Abbey Primary School in the scheme’s communal lounge by inviting them to read works from a range of children’s authors, including Roald Dahl and Philip Pullman.

The project, which sees the pupils reading to residents at their own pace, was running prior to Christmas and is due to start up again in February and will run until Easter half term. Extra care schemes like Trellis House provide independent living apartments for people aged 55 and over who may require support in their home.

This means the service is also equipped to support residents with learning disabilities, who are also taking part in the reading project. Some residents with learning disabilities are unable to read, so organisers have paired them with those who can to enable them to participate.

Sanctuary’s activities coordinator Jenny McPaul said: “To make the most of our relationship with the school, we’ve chosen activities that can give some of our more socially excluded residents something to do and allow them to meet others at the scheme. “Both residents and the pupils love the classes, it’s a wonderful sight to see generations of young and old bonding over a shared love of the written word.”

The project is the latest venture in a series of partnership activities between Trellis House and the school pupils, who visited over Christmas to sing carols and received chocolate selection boxes from residents in the process.

Based on information supplied by Tom Glover.