* Back: Owner Bethan Mascarenhas, Town Crier Austin 'Chem' Cheminais and storyteller Fiona Collins. Front: Joan Fell, 96, Jill Lidgit, 85, Ena Strange, 99, and Yola Roberts, 87.
* Ena Strange, 99 ,enjoying reading a copy of the book.
* Pat Preston, 89, with her invitation to the launch party.
* Bill Gosson, 90, with the book and the book illustration.A Llangollen care home has created a lasting legacy from the
coronavirus lockdown by drawing together the life stories of its residents in a new book.
The Old Vicarage hired
professional storyteller Fiona Collins as a care worker and activities
assistant at the onset of the pandemic to help keep residents’ spirits up
when they were missing their families.
During the early months of lockdown, Fiona
encouraged the residents to share their life-stories with each other in the
garden and unearthed a treasure trove of post-war adventures – some of which
raised eyebrows!
Now those experiences – which include a resident
learning to drive at the age of nine in a hearse from her grandfather’s funeral
business and another resident hitchhiking her way around Europe after the war –
will become a part of history in a new book called Lockdown Legends.
The book, which has been professionally illustrated
by renowned local artist and illustrator Peter Stevenson and includes a
foreword from Heléna Herklots
CBE, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, has been unveiled to the world with
a little help from Llangollen Town Crier Austin Cheminais.
It includes the stories of 17 residents – two of
whom have sadly passed away since the book has been published – all of which
were shared during lockdown with additional detail provided by family members.
The home now hopes to be able to attract some
celebrity endorsement to give the book the attention it deserves and is
inviting reviews from the world of stage and screen.
“We’ve harassed royalty already and I’ve written to
Prince Charles, who is the Patron of Age Cymru, and Prince William,” said
Bethan Mascarenhas, who owns the home alongside her brother Richard.
“We’d love for some authors to review it, may be
Michael Morpurgo or even a legend of the likes of Sir David Attenborough!”
One of those to contribute was Ena Strange, 99, who
grew up in Liverpool and said the experience of telling life stories had really
helped during lockdown.
“We were fortunate, you might say, to be here as we
still had people to talk to with the other residents and staff. For someone
living alone it must’ve been terrible. I felt lucky,” she said.
“It was just everybody talking and sharing what had
happened in the past. I didn’t think I had an exciting life, I thought I had a
dull life.
“I worked in a gown shop when I was younger. I
actually wanted to work in an office but my mother said I’d never sit still and
she wouldn’t let me. I wanted to join a tennis club and my father wouldn’t let
me. But when the war came I was called up and went into the National Fire
Service and was stationed on Salford Docks. That was an education! Eventually,
I got promoted to assistant group officer and became deputy when the group
officer was off. I really enjoyed it.”
Fellow resident and retired teacher Jill Lidgett,
87, originally from London, said: “It’s been lovely, talking about things that
we wouldn’t normally have raised. It was great to hear everybody’s secrets!
It’s a lovely home and everyone’s so friendly. Some of the stories were
surprising.”
Former Trevor town councillor and retired special
needs teacher Iola Roberts, 87, surprised her fellow residents with her tales
of childhood.
“I was born and bred in Llangollen. My grandfather
had a business as an undertaker and I learned to drive when I was nine – a
hearse! It was brilliant,” said the grandmother-of-six.
“It’s very important to remember our backgrounds
and remember what we have achieved and not be ashamed about where we have come
from. I’ve always talked a lot and have told a lot of stories. I suppose it has
been my job as a teacher. I think it’s very important for people to listen to
others.”
Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of social care champions
Care Forum Wales, could not agree more.
“Lockdown was a deeply worrying time for care
homes, particularly for residents and their families, and I am so grateful to
The Old Vicarage for transforming the experience in such a positive and
poignant way. The experience of opening up and sharing life stories has brought
much comfort and joy to these residents.
“These stories are now part of history and will
continue to inspire generations for many years to come. It reminds us all how
important it is to listen and learn from the past.”
For Bethan, who also manages the home, the
story-telling was a way of encouraging the residents to keep socialising and
engaging despite being unable to have family visits.
“Our idea was to keep everybody socially involved
because our biggest worry was that people would become isolated and as soon as
somebody becomes isolated they become disengaged and we see less mobility and
depression setting in,” she said.
“It was all about keeping a hive of activity in the
home. Fiona would sit with them and they would just talk about their life
stories. We found the stories were living around the home for a while and it
was the subject of gossip!
“One of our ladies used to go hitchhiking around
Europe after the war when she was just 17. Another lady was this incredible
consultant who worked for Coca Cola. We’ve been shocked and amazed with the
stories they’ve told.
“Fiona and I discussed it and I thought it needed
to be put into a book to share with their families and it all spiralled from
there. It just made sense. Lockdown was an extraordinary time to live through
and it’s something to remind us of this time in an incredibly positive way.
“It’s also people’s legacies. Two people have
passed away since the book was created. It’s so touching to be able to sit and
read and remember these individuals. It’s a lovely resource for the families.”
The book has been printed by Inky Little Fingers
Ltd and already the home has had family members, GPs and other supporters
requesting copies.
Storyteller Fiona, from Carrog, said the book was a
lasting symbol for the residents’ fortitude during the pandemic.
“We tried to capture a sense of everybody’s voice
on the page,” she said.
“It really brought it home to me that you should
never make assumptions about people, particularly if you meet people later on
in their lives. All the amazing things they have done with their lives you
wouldn’t know if you didn’t take the chance to get to know them and talk to
them. It has been a real honour to hear their stories and find out about their
adventures.
“It wasn’t so easy back then but despite that they
have all really flourished and I’m really proud of them all.”
Feedback on the project has been so positive that
the home is now considering other opportunities to share the remarkable tales
with other audiences.
“We would like to go into primary schools when it’s
safe to do so to run our own story-telling sessions with local children and
pass on that knowledge,” explained Bethan.
“We bought a tepee which we use as a
decontamination area for staff at the moment and in the future we will use that
as a story-telling venue.”
