Care home resident, 77, publishes tongue-twister book

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 8 Oct, 16:19 · Archive

David Rigg, 77, has published his first book, Gobbledygook, a collection of tongue-twister tales written at his care home.

David Rigg, 77, who lives at Hazelgrove Court in Saltburn, has self-published his first book, Gobbledygook, a collection of original tongue-twister tales. The book launch will be held at Holly Blue Cards and Gifts on Milton Street, Saltburn, on 29 October at 2pm.

The year-long tongue-twister activity programme at Hazelgrove Court, launched in 2025 as part of the National Activities Providers Association's Arts in Care Homes initiative, inspired the project. Residents created a recycled orchestra from household materials, pairing each instrument with an original tongue twister. Mr Rigg, a retired Middlesbrough FC groundsman, said: 'The tongue twisters re-opened my creative side and I love to write tongue twister stories and am delighted to write my first book.'

Hazelgrove Court's activities coordinator, Sharon Lewis, said the project had given Mr Rigg 'a real purpose'. She noted that although he is a fantastic artist, he had not painted since moving into the care home three years ago, but the tongue twisters 'have really reopened his creative side'. The project caught the attention of Professor Alan Dunn, an art academic at Leeds Beckett University who wrote The Jingle Book about using sound and tongue twisters in dementia care.

Care home resident, 77, publishes tongue-twister book — Image: The Northern Echo

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How it is being reported

North East care home resident, 77, publishes first book of tongue twistersA 77-year-old North East care home resident has published his first book after a tongue-twister project revived his passion for writing.The Northern Echo · 8 Oct, 15:23
North East care home resident, 77, publishes first book of tongue twistersA 77-year-old North East care home resident has published his first book after a tongue-twister project revived his passion for writing.Darlington & Stockton Times · 8 Oct, 15:23

In this story: David Rigg · Hazelgrove Court · Saltburn · Middlesbrough FC · Sharon Lewis · Professor Alan Dunn · Leeds Beckett University

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