A Breath of Fresh Air!
Inspired by the BBC Breathing Places initiative, Tameside Libraries decided to use nature and the environment as the main themes for events for adults and children this year. Libraries teamed up with the Countryside Unit who wanted to build awareness of nature in town centres, local parks and fields. A varied series of walks was planned, each starting and finishing at a library with refreshments and an activity after the walk. A Beatrix Potter walk took advantage of the fact that the author's maternal grandparents lived at Gorse Hall in Stalybridge. 44 adults and children meandered from the library, past the canal (nobody fell in), up to the ruins of the Hall with stories of Peter Rabbit along the way and colouring and a quiz back at the library. A learning point soon became apparent - stony paths and buggies do not go well together and there was no afternoon napping for toddlers being bounced up the track and back! There were two walks in a local Country Park with tea and cakes back at the Visitor Centre. 'Shakespeare's Flowers' matched poetry and lines from Shakespeare's plays with wildflowers and herbs found along the way and another walk on National Poetry Day provided an opportunity to promote the work of poets from the North West region, using the poetry postcards from a previous Time to Read project, with other verse about nature.
National Poetry Day on Werneth Low A series of 'Earth Walks' over the summer holidays were very popular and provided an additional opportunity to promote The Big Wild Read summer reading challenge. We started with stories and poems at the library then went outside to use our senses! A colour chart sent children off in search of leaves and petals that matched the colours on their card and other fun activities encouraged children and their carers to feel and smell different natural objects. As one grandmother commented "I don't know who is learning more, us or the children!" It certainly became apparent that you do not need to get out into the countryside to discover dramatic dragonflies, chirpy crickets, marvellous moths and more!
There are lots of colours in nature!
Librarians in the North West have pioneered partnership working to encourage new readers into libraries. Time To Read is a partnership of librarians engaged in reader development activity in public library authorities in the North West Region. All 23 public library authorities in the region currently support Time To Read.