Thousands of youngsters enjoy Eastham Library’s summer reading event

Sep 17 2008 by Sue McCann, Bromborough and Bebington News

EASTHAM Library has been having a summer of reading.

The Summer Reading Challenge, a national promotion of reading for children organised by the Reading Agency, takes on a new theme each year and is open to all children between the ages of four and 11.

Nearly 7,000 children from Wirral alone signed up to this summer’s Team Read.

The scheme, which is in is 10th year, encourages children to read up to six books over the summer and offers incentives along the way to ensure that as many youngsters as possible complete the programme.

This year, the challenge coincided with the Olympic Games in Beijing. Children who read two books received a bronze medal sticker while four books earned a silver one and those reading six collected gold.

Activity leader Phil Robertshaw said: “The Summer Reading Challenge has been more successful this year than ever before. This shows that there’s still a high level of interest and enthusiasm among children for reading, despite the advancement of television and the internet.”

South Wirral MPBen Chapman, who visited the project, added: “The Summer Reading Challenge is an excellent initiative and this year, through Team Read, it has used the Olympics medal system as an incentive for children to read as many books as possible.

“The sport theme has also encouraged children to get active and keep healthy which is also a vital part of their development.

“With this and its other activities for children, Eastham library and the library Service in Wirral does an excellent job in catering for younger people.”