Today 30th January Nottingham Labour has launched the Big Reading Challenge 2023. Every year the leader of the council Councillor David Mellen and Portfolio Holder for Children’s and Young People and Schools Councillor Cheryl Barnard along with other councillors take part in the big reading week with the aim of raising more money for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. This year is no exception and the aim is to raise at least £5,000.
Nottingham Labour have been taking part in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for many years now. The aim of this charity is to provide age appropriate books for free from birth up until five years old. This is a key timeframe for promoting child literacy, and as importantly fostering a love of reading for Nottingham’s children.
In 2019 one of our election promises was to provide books for 10,000 Nottingham Children. We have achieved and beaten this target, in the process giving out over 400,000 books to Nottingham children. Through our fundraising and working in partnership with Nottingham Rotary Club, ‘Small Steps, Big Changes’ and various businesses, as well as lots of individual sponsors, we have sustained this charity in Nottingham. Donations are key to allowing us to continue the scheme, and to give so many children the gift of books and access to the new worlds, opportunities, and skills gained through reading and literacy. This work is especially vital during the ongoing cost of living crisis caused by the government, a crisis which is affecting so many families in Nottingham.
As part of our fundraising, we will be taking part in the Big Reading Challenge. Councillor David Mellen will be doing several readings for school children, at his office in Loxley House, at the site of the New Central Library and other locations. Labour councillors will also be taking part in readings across the city at local schools, which should be fun engaging events for pupils. The highlight of the week will be a candlelight reading taking place during Light Night at the Council House.
Hopefully these events will help Nottingham Labour reach our goal of £5,000 so that we can continue to provide so many children with books across the city. We may have achieved our manifesto promise, but that does not mean that our work on this stops. Nottingham Labour recognise how important this work is. Providing for our residents is the core of what we do for the city. This doesn’t just mean providing services like street cleaning and bin collection, it means providing for the future, ensuring that Nottingham children get the start in life they deserve. The government has neglected Nottingham and for too many years children have not had the start to life they need, but as a party we are doing all we can to change this.
So if you are able please donate some money to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Nottingham at the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bigreadingchallenge2023
By doing so you will really improve a child’s life. Thank you.