Reading Families Millennium Award Scheme

The early years sector is being targeted by an award scheme that aims to encourage families to read together. The Reading Families Millennium Award Scheme, run by the Campaign for Learning with money from the Millennium Commission, has funded 132 projects starting up across England. These include the Leicester-based 'Something for Saturdays', which has received 7,000 to offer literacy-focused sessions in a family-friendly environment for parents, especially lone parents, and grandparents. It is hoped the scheme, due to be launched in April, will encourage parents to interact with their children and participate in fun literacy-related activities including story-sacks, drama, poetry, painting, puppet making and arts and crafts. Other projects include a Norwich Sure Start centre engaging families in writing a healthy eating recipe book, establishing a library in Kingston upon Hull full of football-related books, magazines and papers, and a Wolverhampton primary school producing a book about the school's history. The Awards Scheme runs over three years and anyone with an idea for encouraging more reading in the community can apply for funding. For an application pack call Geoff Taggart on 0121 643 4533, e-mail gtaggart@ cflearning.org.uk or visit the website www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk. The application deadline is 2 September.