Maidenhead & Windsor

Primary age children can branch out at Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough libraries over the summer holidays and discover new titles and authors – while doing their bit for the environment by helping the Woodland Trust plant more trees.

All Windsor and Maidenhead children between the ages of four and 12 are welcome to take a leaf out of the book of the 1,740 borough youngsters who took part last year and enrol in the popular Summer Reading Challenge.

This year’s Windsor and Maidenhead scheme is entitled The Big Wild Read and participants are challenged to read six or more books throughout the summer. To spur them on they will receive a Big Wild Read collector’s folder in which to record the details of the books they read over the summer, and as they progress they will be rewarded with a set of stickers for each book read, a holographic bookmark, an ‘eco tester’ game, a fridge magnet, a packet of Big Wild Read flower seeds and, once they have read six books, a medal and certificate.

The Summer Reading Challenge is linking up with the Woodland Trust’s Tree for All campaign and for every book they read children will also earn ‘tree points’ which will go towards planting up to 20,000 new trees in Woodland Trust areas.

Children can sign up free of charge from Saturday July 14 and can join at any point until the challenge ends on Saturday September 8 by visiting any of the borough’s libraries.

Cllr Jesse Grey, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead leisure and culture, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is a great way to inspire children to read for fun, broaden their horizons and talk about books with their friends.

“Hopefully this year we will beat the impressive 1,740 figure and see even more children in the Royal Borough enjoy a summer of reading. Parents and carers will find it’s a great way to connect with their youngsters’ reading and engage with nature in the long summer break.”

Katie Farrell, young people’s librarian, said: “If any child is unsure about what to read, they are welcome to speak to library staff who will be only too happy to suggest interesting books and new authors for them to try.”

To complement the Big Wild Read, children can join in other fun and free activities throughout the summer holidays:

Jungle storytimes for the under-fives:
These involve stories on a jungle theme and a jungle-influenced craft activity such as making an animal mask. Booking is required at the library where the event is being held. The programme is:

· Ascot Tuesday July 31 10.30 – 11am
· Maidenhead Tuesday July 31 2.15 – 3pm
· Dedworth Thursday August 9 10.30 – 11am
· Windsor Friday August 10 10.30 – 11am
· Cox Green Tuesday August 14 2.15 – 3pm
· Cookham Monday August 20 2.15 – 3pm
· Datchet Friday August 31 2.15 – 2.45pm

Jo Jingles music times for five to nine-year-olds:
A mixture of music, movement, singing and dance, these are fun events that get the children moving. Booking is required. The programme is:

· Cox Green Thursday July 26 10.30 – 11.15am
· Old Windsor Tuesday July 31 10.30 – 11.15am
· Cookham Thursday August 2 10.30 – 11.15am
· Windsor Friday August 3 10 – 10.45am
· Maidenhead Wednesday August 22 10 – 10.45am

Book Blast craft events:
These are drop-in sessions – children can turn up and leave any time during the session. They can access stories from the web, get help choosing books for the reading challenge and help turn their library into an urban jungle by making a variety of creatures, flowers and bugs to add to the display. The programme is:

· Maidenhead Wednesday July 25 10.30am – 12 noon
· Dedworth Thursday August 2 10.30am – 12.30pm
· Cookham Monday August 6 2.30 – 4.30pm
· Ascot Tuesday August 7 10.30am – 12.30pm
· Eton Wick Tuesday August 7 2.30 – 4.30pm
· Cox Green Wednesday August 8 2.30 – 4.30pm
· Datchet Wednesday August 15 10.30am – 12.30pm
· Windsor Tuesday August 21 2.30 – 4.30pm

For further information on the Big Wild Read call Katie Farrell on 01628 796974. Library information is available at www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/youngpeoples_library.htm

For more information about the Tree for All campaign visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk or www.treeforall.org.uk

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead