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Local charity Every Child Our Future has provided primary schools on the island with a reading volunteer to help with this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.
The annual reading challenge is the biggest free reading event for children in the UK and is run locally by the Guille-Alles Library. It started late last month and runs until the end of the summer holidays.
Aimed at children aged four to eleven, the challenge invites participants to read six books over the summer holidays, collecting stickers and rewards along the way.
The aim of the challenge is to maintain literacy levels during the summer holidays when reading skills and confidence can dip, commonly known as the ‘summer slide’.
ECOF’s volunteers are providing a friendly face to meet and greet the children at the library, talk to the children about the stories they have read over the holidays so far, and listen to the children read.
Pictured: Children are being encouraged to read six books of their choice this summer.
Cornelia James, Children and Young People’s Services Manager at the Guille-Alles Library, explained how valuable the support that the ECOF volunteers is to the children - and that it's not too late for children to start the challenge.
“ECOF's involvement will help us reach more children who might be reluctant readers or not regular library users and might not have otherwise taken part in the challenge," she said.
“While the challenge is always aimed at supporting children’s literacy development, helping to prevent the ‘Summer Slip’, this year it is even more essential as pupils have experienced several months away from the classroom over lockdown.”
The Summer Reading Challenge is a popular event locally, with over 1600 children taking part in 2019. This year children are being invited to join the ‘Silly Squad’, and get stuck into books filled with fun, happiness and laughter.
Andrew Bichard, Literacy Coordinator for Every Child Our Future said: “Supporting a child’s development is at the heart of what we do, so we were delighted to partner with the library for the Summer Reading Challenge. Our thanks go to our amazing volunteers who are giving their time and support to this initiative.”
More information about the Summer Reading Challenge can be found at www.library.gg/sillysquad or by calling the Children’s Library on 743635.
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