Space Hop, this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, blasted off at the Henry Bloom Noble Library on Saturday July 17 when more than 50 children signed up on the first day of registration for what promises to be an out-of-this-world outer space adventure.
For the third year in succession Space Hop is being sponsored by CMI, this year operating under the Scottish Widows brand. Personal portfolio and investments manager Juan Clarke said: ‘Our name may be changing but there is no change to our commitment to the Henry Bloom Noble Library and the Summer Reading Challenge which we see as a fun way of engaging young people with the world of books. Importantly the programme complements our drive to raise literacy standards and help equip young people with life skills through a range of community projects for which colleagues at Scottish Widows are always keen to volunteer.’
Borough librarian Jan Macartney said: ‘We are enormously grateful to Scottish Widows, Juan and his colleagues for their continued support and enthusiasm in helping to enthuse children about reading for pleasure. Thanks to tremendous support from Scottish Widows and from Strand Cleaners who, once again, have generously agreed to sponsor a number of the competitions – combined with all the hard work put in by my colleagues at the library - the Summer Reading Challenge has become one of our biggest – and most successful – events, with 287 children registering for and 197 completing last year’s challenge.’
Each year the Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to read six or more books of their choice during the holidays with incentives, posters and rewards to be collected, and a certificate and medal presented to every child completing the challenge.
Throughout the summer the Henry Bloom Noble Library will be hosting a series of Space Hop workshops and activity sessions, together with competitions and book reviews, followed by a prize presentation in October when the prizes will be presented by the Mayor of Douglas, Councillor Ritchie McNicholl, JP.
Now in its 12th year the Summer Reading Challenge is created and run by The Reading Agency, an independent UK charity working to inspire people to read more, and is supported by children’s publishers.
This year’s Space Hop Summer Reading Challenge coincides with the 350th anniversary of The Royal Society and the 2010 BBC Year of Science.
‘Space Hoppers’ can now register every day Monday to Saturday until Saturday August 7 - or earlier should supplies of Space Hopper ‘goodies bags’ run out - at the ground floor counter in the library.
The Henry Bloom Noble Library, 10-12 Victoria Street, Douglas. 696461.
Borough librarian Jan Macartney with, seated, Scottish Widows' Paul Young, Juan Clarke and Ruth Costain with Sarah and Ryan O'Callaghan, six and nine respectively
Borough librarian Jan Macartney with Scottish Widows' Paul Young, Juan Clarke and Ruth Costain and Ailish and Bree Cassidy, six and three respectively
Librarian Shirley Moore with the Scottish Widows volunteer team and Elizabeth Taylor, nine, Jessie O'Connell, eight and 'Big Monty'
Lucy-may Hill, four, with brothers Blayne, eight and James, seven, borough librarian Jan Macartney and Scottish Widows volunteers Juan Clarke and Ruth Costain, seated and Paul Young and Mark Edwards
Scottish Widows volunteers with Brynley and Emma Mayhew, eight and 10 respectively
Louis Creer, five and a half, with Juan Clarke and Ruth Costain of Scottish Widows
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