Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Rotherham

One of our Reading Mentors just sent me this one-line email:

"I am sure you will have better things to do on a Saturday morning, but there is a programme at 10.30 on Radio 4 about what Dolly Parton has done for reading in Rotherham!!!" 

She couldn't be more wrong, I can think of no better way to spend a Saturday morning! I immediately looke for for some more info: BBC Radio 4 - How Dolly Got Rotherham Reading.

Thanks Anne.

Bideford Learning Community Book Relief Training July 2011

Last week I was in Bideford, North Devon, training 30 Volunteer Reading Mentors and School co-ordinators to begin reading sessions in Bideford Primary Schools in September.

We had a wonderful couple of training days full of enthusiasm and ideas, it was an inspiration, as was the Devon landscape.

Organised by the local Book Relief charity and The Bideford Learning Community, and funded by Awards for All and The Bideford Bridge Trust, I know the programme is going to be a huge success. I don't usually make a big deal of the end of training session evaluation forms, but there are some lovely comments from these particular days:

• Excellent course, I feel very confident and very excited about becoming a Reading Mentor
• Very useful and easy to understand. Will be able to use what I have learnt with confidence
• Very useful information, relaxed atmosphere, friendly tutor
• So encouraging, very informative and feel equipped to start reading mentoring
• A great day full of good tips, knowledge and [I am] looking forward to starting
• Encouraging, very informative - ready to put into practice at school.
• Richard was very encouraging and a brilliant course leader, time passed very quickly and I've gained loads of useful skills today, thank you.
• Tutor was very informative and was made to feel comfortable with what I was learning and doing
• I am looking forward to being school co-ordinator for our mentors, very exciting!

ESCAL - Mad Hatters Talk Picnic and Presentation Afternoon

I am a bit late reporting, but 29 June 2011 was Communication Day in Sheffield, part of the National Year of Communication and Sheffield Children's Festival. The highlight was the Mad-Hatters Talk Picnic - Thosands of pupils having fun in the Peace Gardens:

Those are my photos, there is much better coverage at:

• Sheffield Star
• Yorkshire Post
• BBC News

On the same day Reading Matters had a small stand at the Presentation Afternoon for council employees and ESCAL Partners at the Town Hall. It was a really nice event: