Penguins delight residents in care home visit

A pair of penguins waddled into a care home in Nottinghamshire to spread some cheer to residents.

Pringle and Widget were the stars as they made their appearance at The Grand Care Home in West Bridgford.

Residents were able to stroke and hold the Humboldt penguins as part of an animal-assisted therapy exercise.

Les Clarkstone, 89, said: "It was very comfortable and never murmured, so it was quite nice. I enjoyed it."

The medium-sized birds are based at Heythrop Zoological Gardens in Oxfordshire, a privately-owned zoo, which aims to educate on animal welfare.

They visit care homes and hospices across the country.

Luke Fillary, head bird keeper, was on hand at the home to provide instructions on how to interact with the birds to keep them and the residents safe.

The 21-year-old handler said Pringle and Widget had been trained their entire lives to become therapy penguins.

"They both have been born at our zoo, so they have been in training their whole life," he said.

"Officially, they have been doing it for the past six years. Both are very well behaved."

Residents of the care home also had the opportunity to invite their families along to meet the penguins.

Jackie Kirkham, from Clifton in Nottingham, came to visit her 91-year-old dad Derek.

She said: "It's just something new for them, something that they probably won't be doing. He enjoys it and we do - it's comforting."

The care home invites other therapy animals for residents to encounter.

Bridget Peck, wellbeing coordinator at the home, said she had seen the benefit in bringing animals to the residents.

"I think animals play an important role for everybody's wellbeing," she said.

"Not just dogs - we have donkeys, ponies, every Easter we have the ducks and chickens come in. So penguins, why not? It was great."

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