Families are being invited to various events events celebrating 20 years of the reading programme Bookstart during National Bookstart Week (11-17 June).
There will be a Rock and Rhyme party at the Bandstand, Royal Victoria Park, Bath, on Friday 15 June. Families can bring a picnic from 12noon and join in with a very special rhyme-time at 12.30pm led by ‘The Bookstart Bear and the Celebrations’.
Everyone is encouraged to wear a party outfit or hat and bring their favourite picture book to share with their family or group. Dads and granddads are especially welcome, as the event coincides with Fathers’ Story Week too!
There will also be free themed story and rhyme times open to the public at Weston, Radstock and Midsomer Norton libraries and one for childminders at Radstock Children’s Centre in conjunction with National Childminders Week.
The Bookstart Bear will also be joining local author Kathryn White for an event at Magna Minors Day Nursery at Chew Valley Children’s Centre and other Children’s Centres and early years settings around Bath and North East Somerset will also be holding their own events.
Councillor Paul Crossley (Lib-Dem, Southdown), Leader of Council, said: “Our libraries offer a valuable resource to families and more under-fives are joining their local library every year. The events planned for National Bookstart Week will help Bath & North East Somerset Council to encourage children to enjoy reading from an early age.
“It’s never too early to start sharing books with your baby and give them a head start in life. National Bookstart Week is a wonderful opportunity to bring together young children and families across Bath and North East Somerset in a celebration of reading.”
National Bookstart Week 20th Birthday Rock and Rhyme Party (for ages 0-5) – (with the Bookstart Bear):
- Bandstand, Royal Victoria Park, Bath – Friday 15th June 2012, from 12noon, with music at 12.30pm
Bookstart is a national programme which promotes the love of books through early book sharing. Through the programme every child receives a free Bookstart pack containing books, library information and guidance materials for parents/carers. The first is gifted at six to nine months by health visitors, and the second at three to four years at nurseries and pre-schools. Packs are also available at libraries and children’s centres.
The Bookstart 20 campaign celebrates everything the programme has achieved since it began in 1992. Over 64,000 free books have been given in Bookstart packs to the children of Bath and North East Somerset since the programme was launched here in 2005.
Bookstart 20 invites everyone to celebrae the early years reading programme’s 20th anniversary by making a simple pledge to share 20 books in 2012. This can be by sharing books with children of family or friends or by sharing books with children in a school, pre-school or library.
The pledge can be made on a postcard, available in all of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s libraries, or online atwww.booktrust.org.uk/bookstart20.
Local people are also being asked to name their favourite picture book and to say why it is their favourite. A “Top 20” of picture books will be compiled as the year progresses.
People can join in by nominating their favourite picture books at any Bath & North East Somerset Council library, online at www.facebook.com/bathlibraries, or on the Council’s Twitter feed @bathnes with the hashtag #BANESbookstart20.
