Two very special festive CBeebies Bedtime Stories feature those who can’t be at home with loved ones over Christmas.
- Saturday 23rd December’s story features multiple readers from the armed forces at their bases in the UK and around the world.
- On Christmas Day, CBeebies stars Justin Fletcher and Dodge The Dog delight children from Manchester Hospital School at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
On Christmas Day, CBeebies’ favourites Justin Fletcher and Dodge The Dog join children from Manchester Hospital School who are patients at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Justin reads ‘The Hospital Dog’ by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Sara Ogilvie, a big-hearted tale about a very special, very brave dog, a Dalmatian called Dot who visits children in hospital.
Viewers will see the smiles and warm reactions of the equally brave patients at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Justin ends the story by saying: “A very special Christmas wish to those who can’t be at home this Christmas: this wish is for you!”
CBeebies producers hope this story brings more joy to children in hospitals all over the UK this Christmas.
Ruth Sheard-Pearson at Manchester Hospital School says: “Our children absolutely loved their special story time session! Being in hospital means they miss out on a lot of things other children take for granted especially at this time of year, so it was wonderful to see the looks on their faces as they listened wide-eyed to every single word of the story.
“The visit from Justin and Dodge also did a brilliant job of raising the profile of reading and encouraging young people to read and celebrate stories – something we encourage all our children to do!
“It was such a special experience for the children, bringing them moments of joy in what for some of them are extremely difficult times, and is something I know they will treasure forever.”
On Christmas Eve, Justin Fletcher will bring more smiles to children across the UK when he appears as Father Christmas with a new reading of The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore.
Other celebrity readers who will appear on CBeebies Bedtime Stories from Monday 18 December in the run up to Christmas Day will be announced soon.
CBeebies Bedtime Story is on daily at 6.50pm (CBeebies and BBC iPlayer).