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Read All About It!
Get ready for a new baby boom thanks to a
project that aims to get the borough's youngest citizens reading before
they can walk!
Books for Babies is an exciting new scheme that is being launched by
Wigan Leisure Culture Trust’s Library Service to encourage mums to share
the fun of reading with their babies. The project is part of the
national Bookstart initiative and has received more than £650,000 in
government funding.
Research has shown that children who get to grips with books from a very
early age are not only more confident readers when they start school but
they also take more readily to maths. Books for Babies will give every
child in the borough aged from 0 to six months with a special pack to
help them and their parents get their noses in a book.
The Trust’s Children and Young People's Co-ordinator Christine Appleton
says, "Reading with your baby is great fun. It's a great way to spend
time and interact with your child and research shows it really does make
them better prepared for school."
The cash will provide Wigan Borough's 4,000 new born babies each year
with the pack containing two books, a leaflet giving parents tips on how
to read with their child, a reading list and an invitation to join their
local library.
Mayor of Wigan Cllr Brian Jarvis will be on hand along with Bookstart
Bear to launch Books for Babies in the Derby Room at Leigh Library on
Friday October 7th. The library will be a hub of activity from 9am to
3pm including fun storytelling, a teddy bears picnic and information
stalls for parents. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
"The project is set to expand even further," says Christine. "The next
phase will be Bookstart Plus aimed at encouraging older children to
read. As well as the packs we would also encourage parents to come along
and use their local library with their children it's a great place to
learn and have fun whatever your age!"
For more information on the national Bookstart programme please see
www.bookstart.co.uk.
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NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Officer, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust on 01942 486937 or at c.dunbar@wlct.org.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support Leisure and Cultural facilities, initiatives and events for
300,000 residents across the Wigan Borough.
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is WLCT’s vision to ensure
that people across the Wigan Borough have the opportunity to become more
physically, mentally and creatively active. It also aims to increase
community activity and to encourage good citizenship.
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