Young bookworms rewarded for completing Summer Reading Challenge

Article date: 19 October 2023

Organised by The Reading Agency and delivered by local libraries, the Summer Reading Challenge is an Arts Council-funded initiative which tasks children aged 4-11 with reading six books before the start of the new academic year, with rewards up for grabs for those who complete the challenge.  

A total of 1,279 children completed this year's Summer Reading Challenge, with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of St Helens Borough, councillors Lynn Clarke and Jeanette Banks - as well as Cabinet Member for Wellbeing Culture and Heritage, Councillor Anthony Burns - on hand to present certificates at 44 presentation events. 

During this year's Summer Reading Challenge, St Helens Library Service hosted activities and shows, including treasure hunts and a special performance of The Tortoise and the Hare by Kitchen Zoo in partnership with Wonder Arts, which were tied in with the theme 'Ready, Set Read!' - aiming to empower young people to forge new connections with others and unleash the power of play, sport and physical activity through reading.  

 Councillor Anthony Burns, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Culture and Heritage, said: 

 "The annual Summer Reading Challenge is such a massive occasion on the library service's calendar, with this year's forming part of our Borough of Culture events programme. 

"It's great to see such a positive response, with more than 1,200 children completing the challenge which is up on last year, and I'd like to congratulate everyone involved for their fantastic efforts, and of course to our wonderful library staff for facilitating this year's challenge and organising all the presentation ceremonies to celebrate the achievements of children across the borough."