LOCAL YOUNGSTERS BRING CHRISTMAS CHEER TO BRIDGWATER CARE HOME

Some of the young pupils from Bridgwater’s newest school, Northgate Primary, have been bringing smiles to the faces of residents at a local dementia-care home with their own special interpretation of Christmas songs old and new.

The elderly residents at Avalon Nursing Home, run by Camelot Care, were delighted by the songs and carols being sung by the five- and six-year-olds, whose visit to the home gave them the chance to showcase some of the numbers they learnt for their end-of-term nativity play, Wriggly Nativity.

Class teacher, Jessica Walford, said: “The children have been practising their nativity songs for three weeks, and were so excited to be performing them outside the school.

“Their favourite song is Wriggly Nativity, and they were very keen to share this with the elderly audience who clearly enjoyed it very much.”

The children also sang a few well-known carols, and Christmas songs including Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells, which many members of the audience needed no encouragement to join in with.

Avalon’s activities co-ordinator, Lisa Priddice, said: “It was a wonderful afternoon, and was so lovely to see how much pleasure the children’s visit and their singing brought to our residents.

“We’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Miss Walford for bringing them along, and congratulate her and the children on an irresistible performance.

“Anyone who might not have been feeling the festive spirit before they arrived, was certainly feeling it by the time they left.”

Avalon Nursing Home, in Taunton Road, Bridgwater, is part of the west country-based Camelot Care group of specialist dementia care homes. Camelot Care has 16 years’ experience in providing top quality nursing and dementia care to the elderly with other homes in Wellington and Yeovil in Somerset and Plymouth, Devon, see www.camelotcare.co.uk

Northgate Primary School only opened in September 2017, and currently has a reception class and a combined Year 1 and Year 2 class. Information for parents of children due to start school in September 2018 is available at www.northgateprimaryschool.org.uk or call 01278 226070.