Free Storytelling and books for families across Liverpool

Free Storytelling sessions will take place in thirteen locations across Liverpool this Wednesday 10 August between 12 and 3pm, with over 800 books given away to families who attend. This Storytelling event aimed for Under 7s, launched last year as part of the Read On. Get On. National Campaign, encouraging families to read for pleasure. Throughout the day families will listen to trained Storytellers from The Reader and Beanstalk as well as receiving a free book to take home!

‘Reading for pleasure is the single most important thing that will make a child successful in life’

UNESCO

Following on from last year’s huge success, this will be the second Anytime is Storytime event and the celebration of reading hopes to reach more families than ever.

"It was so lovely to be able to bring my family to the park and experience The Reader’s Storytelling. It gave my daughter such a confidence boost with her reading – she even got to take a book home which meant that she could practice all the time before returning back to school!"

Parent attendee from Anytime is Storytime 2015.

This year, Anytime is Storytime will be hosted in thirteen locations, allowing even more families across Liverpool to accessibly enjoy this day. This special, free event continues to be supported by The Reader, City of Readers, Give A Book, Save the Children and Beanstalk organisations – which means that all families have to do is come along!

Dr Jane Davis, Director and Founder of The Reader says:

"It is so exciting for this huge, free event to be taking place in Liverpool for a second year running. With a number of fantastic organisations and venues on board, it is so thrilling to share stories across the city and bring people together with a love for literature."

You can find us in the following locations between 12-3pm on Wednesday 10 August:

• The Reader at Calderstones Park
• Mersey Ferry Terminal
• Waterstones Liverpool ONE
• Liverpool Central Library
• Toxteth Library
• The Isla Gladstone Conservatory
• Norris Green Library
• Newsham Park
• Wavertree Botanic Gardens
• Garmoyle Road Community Gardens
• Croxteth Hall
• Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation
• Childwall Library

ENDS

Media Opportunities:

Photo opportunity: The Reader Director and Founder Dr Jane Davis will be reading to families between 12 – 3 at Norris Green Library, Townsend Avenue, Liverpool, L11 5AF

Notes to Editors:

About the Read On. Get On. Campaign

Read On. Get On. is a national campaign launched by a wide coalition of organisations and businesses, with the aim of getting every child in the UK reading well by the age of 11. Organisations that form the coalition include Save the Children, Beanstalk and the National Literacy Trust. www.readongeton.org.uk

About City of Readers

City of Readers is a Liverpool Learning Partnership initiative, joint-funded by Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Learning Partnership, and delivered by The Reader Organisation. The campaign aims to transform Liverpool into the UK’s foremost reading city, and to develop a generation of readers who will take the power of great books into the future. www.cityofreaders.org

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk is a national literacy charity that recruits, vets, trains and supports volunteers to work in primary schools with children who have fallen behind with their reading hoping to regain their overall confidence. With Beanstalk's support the child's approach to learning and enjoying reading is often transformed. www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk

About The Reader

The Reader Organisation is a national charity pioneering shared reading: free weekly sessions where people of all ages can enjoy stories and poems, read aloud in a communal setting, as a practical way of improving wellbeing, building stronger communities and giving people from all walks of life access to great literature. www.thereader.org.uk