Award-winning care home group celebrates UK’s biggest reading event with intergenerational activities across Surrey, Suffolk, Kent, and West Sussex
Boutique Care Homes marked World Book Day 2026 with a series of intergenerational reading events across its four care homes, welcoming hundreds of young readers from local schools and nurseries to share stories with residents.
World Book Day, celebrated annually on the first Thursday in March, is the UK’s biggest celebration of books and reading. This year, The Burlington in Shepperton, Brampton Manor in Newmarket, Chartwell House in Broadstairs, and Keymer Hall in Burgess Hill each hosted special events that brought different generations together through their shared love of storytelling.
The Burlington, Shepperton welcomed pupils from Saxon Primary School, who arrived dressed as beloved characters from Alice in Wonderland to The Cat in the Hat. The children transformed the Piano Bar into a reading haven, sharing their favourite books with residents and sparking conversations, memories, and smiles. Resident Tom Stubbs OBE shared: “It brought back a lot of memories when my children were younger reading books to them.”
Brampton Manor, Newmarket hosted two separate sessions, welcoming children from Fairstead House School in the morning and Clip Clop Nursery in the afternoon. The celebrations come just weeks after the home won the prestigious Intergenerational Connections Award at the National Activity Awards 2026. “The room was absolutely buzzing with enthusiasm,” said Valda, Head of Activities and Wellbeing. “Although it was the first time the Fairstead children had visited, you would never have known it. They seemed to gel straight away, as if they had been coming here for years.”
Chartwell House, Broadstairs welcomed young readers from three local primary schools: Year 6 students from Bromstone Primary School (marking their second consecutive year), mixed-age students from Newlands Primary School in Ramsgate, and Year 2 children from St Mildred’s Primary Infant School. Seven-year-old Lachlan from St Mildred’s said: “I really enjoyed reading to everyone. I would like to do it again.”
Keymer Hall, Burgess Hill welcomed children from Dicker House Pre-School for its first-ever World Book Day celebration, just three months after opening. Mary Poppins arrived carpet bag in hand, while Tigger bounced around spreading smiles as children and residents gathered in the garden on a beautiful sunny morning. Christine Bunce, Home Manager, said: “Watching our residents light up when the children arrived was absolutely beautiful. These moments remind us why intergenerational connections matter so much, the joy goes both ways.”
The coordinated celebrations reflect Boutique Care Homes’ commitment to intergenerational engagement, which earned the group the NAPA Award for Intergenerational Engagement in January 2026. The award recognises the company’s innovative approach to bringing together different generations to enhance wellbeing and combat social isolation across all its homes.
Ameet Kotecha, Founder and Managing Director of Boutique Care Homes, said: “World Book Day gives us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the power of storytelling to bring generations together. Watching young children and our residents connect over shared stories reminds us that reading isn’t just about literacy—it’s about building relationships, sparking memories, and creating moments of genuine joy. I’m incredibly proud of our teams across all four homes for embracing this day so wholeheartedly and creating such meaningful experiences for residents and children alike. These events exemplify our commitment to building real community connections, not just talking about them.”
The World Book Day celebrations align with Boutique Care Homes’ Life Enrichment Programme, which is built on six wellbeing principles: Contribute, Grow, Reflect, Feel, Move, and Connect. Intergenerational activities form an important part of the programme, promoting social engagement and emotional wellbeing for residents while strengthening ties with local communities.
Research shows that intergenerational engagement provides significant benefits for both age groups. For residents, interactions with children provide emotional stimulation, reduce isolation, and often trigger treasured memories. For children, the experience develops empathy, patience, and communication skills while building confidence through reading aloud.
