ALL parents who fall asleep while reading bedtime stories to their children after a busy day now have an expert helper for the job.
Retired teacher Jo Davis has stepped in to give a captivating reading of a Winnie the Pooh story, thrilling her online audience.
Dressed as Kanga Kangaroo, she read Eeyore has a Birthday complete with different voices and characters for Eeyore the donkey, Pooh Bear, Piglet and Owl.
And she also raised more than £120 for charity Oxfam which is working to help in the Covid-19 crisis.
Jo, from Charvil, was attending her first-ever meeting of Oxfam Reading Area Group, when she heard they needed a storyteller to fundraise through an online story session.
“I said I would do it. I love telling stories and miss doing it with the children at school,” she said.
Jo retired in the summer from St Nicholas Primary, Hurst after being there for 12 years.
She has also taught at Willow Bank Juniors, Woodley, Shinfield Juniors where she was deputy head and Yellow Brick Nursery at Woosehill where she was head.
She has also been a Wokingham Borough Council literacy consultant.
“AA Milne books are suitable for everyone, young and old,” she said.
“In one Eeyore has a birthday has a very mature message.
“All sorts of things went wrong, but Eeyore helped his friends make the best of a situation.
“I gave Pooh Bear a west country accent. It’s the only accent I can do – I come from Plymouth.”
Joining in the session were toy versions of Milne characters which Jo has gathered. Viewers praised her encouragement and enthusiasm for reading.
Covid-19 has hit many of Oxfam’s fundraising events. Reading Area Group co-chair Ruth Gibbs, from Wokingham, said: “Jo’s story reading was captivating. We are very grateful.”
Anyone who missed Jo’s story session can email [email protected] to find out how to see it.
The Oxfam group is now encouraging everyone to go their fundraising treasure map at Oxfam Reading Area Group’s Facebook page.
Ruth has spoken about the charity’s work at Wokingham area schools including Keep Hatch Primary, St Paul’s Juniors and Walter Infants. She is now available for talks by Zoom for other schools and community and church groups for a small fee.
To arrange a talk, email: [email protected]
