Summer Reading Challenge 2020

Written by on 7th August 2020

RCT Council is supporting the annual Summer Reading Challenge for its younger book lovers, in line with current guidelines and regulations.

All Rhondda Cynon Taf library buildings are currently closed to the public due to the national restrictions in Wales, with a new ‘Order and Collect’ service in place at 9 libraries for book lovers across the County Borough. The Council is working towards making the four remaining facilities available for the Order and Collect service by the end of August.

RCT Libraries: Order and Collect – https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Resident/Libraries/OrderandCollectService/OrderandCollectService.aspx

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, youngsters are still being encouraged to pick up a book or two during the school holidays in a bid to maintain or improve their literacy skills.

The aim is for 4-11 year-olds to read up to six books as part of this year’s Online Summer Reading Challenge during the school holidays, a time when children’s literacy skills traditionally dip.

In the interest of public safety, activities this year are taking place online rather than inside libraries across the County Borough.

Councillor Rhys Lewis, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Well-Being and Cultural Services, with responsibility for Libraries, said: “We are currently living through difficult and unprecedented times, and as many services and activities slowly begin to resume, we must all be aware that COVID-19 is still with us.

“The annual Summer Reading Challenge remains an important and enjoyable initiative, which runs throughout the school holidays with the help of our libraries staff, many of whom were redeployed at the peak of the pandemic to support key service areas within the Council as the Local Authority responded to the national emergency.

“This year’s Summer Reading Challenge not only encourages our young people to pick up a book during a time when they may not necessarily do so, especially when the sun is shining and they would rather be doing other things, but it is also a great way to introduce young people into the world of literature and broaden their imagination.”

This year’s theme is Silly Squad and young readers are urged to sign up to the FREE Summer Reading Challenge and read whatever makes them happy, get silly and have some fun.

Award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson has created the bespoke illustrations for the reading initiative. All our young participants have to do is complete six books of their choice in order to collect some exclusive rewards along the way.

The Summer Reading Challenge is the largest children’s ‘reading for pleasure’ programme in the UK. Last year alone, over 700,000 children and their families took part.

The first Summer Reading Challenge took place in 1999 and is an annual initiative based on a different theme each year. The programme is delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with public libraries, publishers and schools across the UK and is supported by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council.

Sign up to the FREE summer Reading Challenge www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk


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