Shakespeare's Globe brings puppetry workshop to Much Wenlock care home

Residents at a Much Wenlock care home explored the world of puppetry during a special talk and workshop led by an education facilitator from Shakespeare's Globe.

Hal Chambers, an education facilitator with Shakespeare's Globe Education, visited Barchester's Wheatlands care home to share his knowledge and passion for puppetry.

Residents heard about the history of puppetry and were shown images from the Globe's production of Pinocchio, which featured a puppet in the lead role.

Hal then invited residents to have a go themselves, showing them how to make simple puppets from newspaper before demonstrating different ways to manoeuvre them.

Hal, who has worked extensively with puppetry in theatre productions and education workshops, said: "It was wonderful to be able to share some of the history of puppetry with the residents and then get them having a go at making their own puppets.

"I love being able to share my passion for puppets with different audiences, so this afternoon was a real treat for me."

Paula Wiggan, general manager at Wheatlands, said the residents had enjoyed learning about how puppets are brought to life in different productions.

"Our residents loved hearing about the clever ways puppets are brought to life in different productions and how they have been used historically," she said.

"We all enjoyed having a go at making our own puppets and personalising them. It is incredible what you can do with an old newspaper!"

Sally Turton, head of life enrichment for Barchester Healthcare, said: "We are excited to work with wonderful partners like Shakespeare's Globe to bring a wide range of fantastic experiences into our homes for all to enjoy."

Wheatlands provides residential and dementia care, including respite and longer-term stays.