First Act Workshop drama students read poems and stories to patients at Walsall Manor Hospital

Patients and relatives at Walsall Manor Hospital were treated to a delightful afternoon when young members of First Act Workshop in Birmingham read a wide selection of poems and stories by their bedsides.

Under the guidance of their Director, Ross Simpson, the teenagers read a selection of poems and rhymes , many famous in the 1950s and 1960s.

One visitor was visibly moved when his mother, who suffered from dementia, calmed down and listened intently as 15 year old Henry read some of her favourite poems. She later was able to tell him a little about her own life, something she had been struggling to do before the visit.

Another student, Lilly, read a passage from Great Expectations to a lady recovering from a serious stroke. The lady opened her eyes as she read and then started to talk, very slowly, about her childhood in the countryside in Ireland.

A granny, her daughter and two small grandchildren were delighted to enjoy a chapter from Winnie the Pooh read expertly by Beth.

After seeking permission from a daughter, Mandy read some poems to a lady who was so seriously ill, she hadn't opened her eyes for days. Her daughter, convinced that she was still aware of sounds, asked her to recite some favourite childhood poems and Mandy were happy to oblige. She did not react to the first poem but during the second poem, the daughter gasped as her mother opened her eyes and turned towards mandy. She had clearly recognised the poem.

One of the most moving moments happened when Elizabeth read a poem to a lady who was lying quietly in bed. Although she remained motionless throughout the reading, at the end, she slowly raised her left hand and lifted it across her body so that she could lay it on Elizabeth's hand. Elizabeth was so touched by the gesture that she remained by the bedside for a further ten minutes.

The team of students coped brilliantly with the afternoon and were delightful with all the patients and visitors who asked them to read. All the students appeared to be very moved as a result of the experience.

Jill

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