Duchess of Cornwall joins care home residents and children for poetry and tea

Four care home residents and seven primary school children came together last week to recite their memorised poem ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ by Edward Lear in front of The Duchess of Cornwall and Gyles Brandreth before sharing tea and a chat with the Duchess herself.

The Duchess of Cornwall joined Hungerford Care Home residents and Hungerford Primary School children in celebration of ‘Poetry Together’, an initiative led by author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth to unite young and older people to recite poems they have learned by heart. The performances took place at Eaton Square School, Piccadilly in London.

Hungerford Care Home resident Audrey Hawkins, 91, was so excited, she had been awake since 3 am and told carehome.co.uk: “It’s like a dream, I’m like a two-year-old and all three of us have had the hairdresser in today.”

The Hungerford performers were first to recite their poem in front of a packed audience consisting of four other schools and care home residents as well as the Duchess and Gyles.

’I didn’t want to let’ the children ‘down this morning, so I rehearsed and rehearsed’

After listening closely from the front row, The Duchess of Cornwall presented the residents and students with a certificate and Gyles Brandreth presented a signed copy of his new book ‘Dancing by the Light of the Moon’ to both care home and school.

Graham Cartey, 61, resident from brighterkind's Hungerford Care Home said: “I think this day has been great for the children. I didn’t want to let them down this morning, so I rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed. It was good.”

The Duchess of Cornwall, 72, then joined students from Knightsbridge School in London and recited a humorous poem ‘Matilda Who told Lies and was Burned to Death’ by Hilaire Belloc together before being presented a certificate by Gyles Brandreth.

Matilda was the first poem the Duchess learnt as a girl. In Mr Brandreth’s book ‘Dancing by the Light of the Moon’, she told him: ‘I think I was made to learn it because of some fib I told. I can still remember most of it.’

After the final performance, the residents and school children enjoyed tea and cake while the Duchess warmly greeted as many guests as she could including Audrey Hawkins.

'I pray every day that I don’t wake up but I’m glad I woke up today'

After the meeting, Ms Hawkins said: “I never dreamt I’d do that. I just chatted to her and told her my father was in the Coldstream Guards and my uncle. They were often on duty in Windsor and at Buckingham Palace in the First World War.

“She listened to me. It was brilliant and I told her that I was in the home and I was looked after. She was just natural It’s like a dream, I just can’t believe it happened. I pray every day that I don’t wake up but I’m glad I woke up today.”

Hungerford Primary School student Austin Pugh, 9, asked the Duchess: “Did she learn ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ when she was at school? She said yes she did and her granddaughters and grandsons have also learnt it.”

Afterwards, Hungerford Primary School headteacher David Mayer said: “I think that it has been wonderful today to combine two completely different generations to produce a set of memories that neither generation will ever forget.”

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