Event fosters an interest in books reading first (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Event fosters an interest in books reading first

NORTH Swindon library is hosting a book reading event for children cared for by foster parents.

The Swindon Looked After Children Education Team has organised the project called, Putting Reading First in Swindon, which will launched later this month.

It is aimed at raising literacy levels of children in foster care.

Project co-ordinator Caroline Allinson wants to help children in foster care to develop their literacy skills.

She thinks it is important they are given access to books at a young age to spark their interest in reading.

According to the team this will give the children a foundation to develop their literacy skills.

Mrs Allinson said: "Through the project we will be delivering workshops to foster carers on aspects of literacy and raising library awareness there is a special ticket for foster carers, encouraging children to read more.

"We will also be providing a literacy support manual for all foster carers, allowing children to select and order new books for the library.

"Resources such as storysacks and book boxes for foster carers to

borrow will also be provided at the event."

She added: "We have already given each looked after child £10 of vouchers to spend on books of their choice."

This is an ongoing project, which is designed to get children interested in reading.

Mrs Allinson said: "We will have Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet in attendance and one of them will cut a cake and declare the project launched. There will be balloons, face painters, story time, a teddy treasure hunt, a library exploration quiz, posters and refreshments for looked after children."

Foster carers will be able to take part in a workshop at the event, which is designed to give them guidance to help children with their homework.

Mrs Allinson said: "We need to ask companies if they would sponsor just a year of books to enable us to provide £10 book tokens for all newly looked after children.

"This would cost about £1,000 for a year and we would give publicity to each company by way of a label in each book."

She added: "We would like to appeal to any companies who think they could help us with our funding."

The book reading event will take place on Saturday, October 15 at 10.30am at North Swindon Library, Orbital Retail Park.

Lyndsay Scanlan