Residents at the award-winning Little Bramingham Farm, the Luton-based residential care home run by charity, Friends of the Elderly, have had a ‘book-tastic’ day marking this month’s World Book Day, by taking part in a fun literary quiz and enjoying a cup of tea and chatting about their favourite novels, authors, story genres and plot lines.
“Our residents do enjoy reading and love to get engrossed in a good story,” said Emma Lawrance, the Registered Manager at Little Bramingham Farm. “We have a cosy, dedicated Library area and it’s always busy with residents ensconced in a book or chatting together about their latest reads.
“To celebrate this year’s World Book Day, I hosted a fun, book-based quiz,” added Karen Charity, the Activities Coordinator at the care home. “The questions covered authors, storylines, famous literary characters and well-known cliffhangers, which the residents really got into and enjoyed.
“As always, the residents never cease to amaze and surprise me, they really are extremely knowledgeable on so many things, especially books and stories and, yet again, I learned some interesting facts from them such as J.K. Rowling is the world’s richest author and once said that ‘If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book – which is very true.”
Following the lively quiz, Karen chatted to the residents about their favourite books and what they are currently reading. “I like a good murder book,” said Betty Taylor, who made Little Bramingham Farm her home in December 2023. “I went for a bit of change this time and am currently reading A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harness. It’s all about a lady called Diana Bishop, who is a historian who is unaware to start that she’s a witch. She discovers a long-lost an enchanted book in Oxford’s Bodleian Library which is the beginning of a forbidden romance with a 1,500-year-old vampire called Matthew Clairmont. It’s a good, exciting read as they have to protect the book from other magical creatures. It’s quite handy too as I’m following the story watching the TV series as well.”
Celia Field, who moved to the care home in March 2020, has an all-time favourite book. “I love Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, I must have read it at least three times and I’ve also seen the film on television,” said Celia. “The characters and places such as Middle-Earth, The Shire, Rivendell, Gondor and Mordor are described so well, you can actually picture them.”
Residents Hazel Short and Vera Evans, both agree that their favourite author still remains the same as when they were children. “You can’t beat Enid Blyton,” said Hazel. “Malory Towers, St. Clare’s, The Famous Five, The Magic Faraway Tree – I could go on – are all classics which never get old and I never tire of reading them.”
Bill McCormack, who became a resident at Little Bramingham Farm in May 2025, has a different view. “For me, it has to be the stories from one of the world’s most famous addresses – 221B Baker Street in London – Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories,” continued Bill. “Helped by his sidekick, Dr Watson, Holmes uses his logic, observation, science and disguises to solve complicated and intricate crimes and murders.
“The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Sign of Four, A Study of Scarlett are all fantastic tales. In the story, The Final Problem, Sherlock faces his nemesis, Moriarty which sees them both take a tumble off The Reichenbach Falls, but luckily, Sherlock survives the fall – really gripping stuff.”
“World Book Day is a worldwide event aimed at fostering a love of reading for all ages,” added Emma. “Knowing the residents’ love of reading, hosting our book quiz and talking about their favourite novels, plot twists and stories was great for cognitive stimulation. Everyone at Little Bramingham Farm puts the residents first so we didn’t want any of them to miss out on sharing their love of books with each other.
