Chatterbox goes silent to support those with cancer

A CHATTERBOX care home worker raised hundreds of pounds to support those with cancer by taking on a 12-hour sponsored silence.

Amy Trattles can always be heard chatting and singing to residents when on shift as a care assistant at The Beeches Care Home, on Green Lane, Stockton-on-Tees.

So she took on the challenge of staying silent for the day to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, the 2019/20 chosen charity of the Hill Care Group, which owns and operates the home where Amy works.

Communicating with hand gestures and writing, Amy collected £300 in sponsorship after successfully completing 12-hours without a word spoken.

After the sponsored silence, she said: “It was very difficult to keep silent, especially when the residents were trying to trick me into singing for them. I sing all the time and they really like it so I had a real struggle to keep quiet.

“Staff were also testing me by suggesting I answer the phone and I’d only remember at the last minute that I couldn’t. No one thought I could keep quiet for five minutes, never mind 12 hours, but it’s for such a good cause that I was determined to keep my mouth shut. I can’t thank everyone enough. They’ve been so generous.”

Resident Dot Cowley said: “I think it’s a brilliant thing Amy’s done. I’m really proud of her as I know she loves to talk.”

Jessica Brown, home manager at The Beeches Care Home, said: “Amy decided to do this as she is the home’s chatterbox.

“When on shift you can always hear Amy chatting away or entertaining the residents with a sing song. She raised an amazing amount in this first of many fundraising events and activities for the home over the coming year, as we join the rest of the Hill Care Group in raising as much as possible for Macmillan Cancer Support.”