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Home | Your Council | News and communications | September news | September news
Book worms from all over Portsmouth are gearing up in excitement for a grand celebration at Southsea Castle this weekend. Over the summer the Team Read Challenge asked children to turn off the television and cast out their consoles, rising instead to the challenge of reading six books over the summer holidays.
Over 1,000 children of all ages, from across the city took part, with 800 of these successfully completing this difficult task.
The Museum in partnership with Portsmouth Libraries are holding a fun packed event for the winners at Southsea Castle this Saturday 20 September, from 11am until 4.30pm.
Each winner will each receive a medal, certificate and free access to the castle for them and their family for the day. A range of quizzes, crafts and competitions will be available to enjoy throughout the day, as well as all the attractions that Southsea Castle itself has to offer.
Most of the entrants were children from local primary schools, however children as young as one year old have joined in the fun. Depending on their reading ability children have read independently or shared the books with members of their family.
Lindy Elliot, Acting Library Services Manager said “The challenge was to make children passionate about reading and provide them with an excellent ‘boredom buster’ during the sunshine impaired summer that we’ve recently had! It also addresses the serious issue of maintaining the children’s reading skills throughout the summer holidays”.
“The summer is also a great time for children to take a break from their school work and really read for pleasure, discovering new authors and styles of writing”.
“For children, joining and using the library is free. In this National Year of reading joining the library is a great way to broaden children’s minds, expand their imaginations and support their learning”.
“Our partnership between the Museum and Library Service has enabled this fantastic event to take place, which will allow library members from across the city to experience all that this historic Tudor Castle has to offer”.
Portsmouth City Council
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
Hampshire, PO1 2BG
023 9283 4092
general@portsmouthcc.gov.uk