Nick Gibb visited St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Edward Bryant Primary School in Bognor Regis to hand out books and encourage children to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge at their local public library.
Every Year 4 child was given a free book to take home and keep in the hope that it would inspire them to enjoy reading with their parents and continue to do so over the summer holidays.
Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, community groups and individuals, every year 4 child in the 15 primary schools across the constituency of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton has been given a brand new book, in which a token is placed. The token invites each child to visit their local library and take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, entitled Animal Agents.
In addition to the prizes they receive from the library for completing the scheme, by handing in their token, each child will be in with a chance to win one of the fantastic prizes, also donated by local businesses. The prizes include an annual pass to Harbour Park amusement park, 10 pairs of tickets to the Goodwood Festival of Speed and a class trip to a special show at the South Downs Planetarium for the class with the highest participation.
The reading challenge for Year 4 pupils across Bognor Regis and Littlehampton was inspired by Nick’s Parliamentary colleague, Steve Barclay MP, who ran a similar initiative in Cambridgeshire.
Mr Gibb said, “Developing a love of reading is one of the most important things a child can do to equip them to succeed at secondary school and for later life. I am launching Read to Succeed across Bognor Regis and Littlehampton to help further improve the reading fluency of local children over the summer holidays. Schools do a wonderful job teaching children to read but it is important that children keep reading over the long summer break.
“I am hugely grateful to everyone who has supported and sponsored the scheme, including Harbour Park in Littlehampton, Rolls Royce Motor Cars, Parker PpTek, Barfoots of Botley, Bay Tree Estates, Lord March of Goodwood and the Bognor Regis Lions Club. I hope that the children will be inspired by their book and will enjoy reading it at home.”
Pictured:
The red uniforms are pupils from Edward Bryant Primary School; blue uniforms are pupils from St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Bognor Regis.
Below is the list of books that children could choose from:
- The Magic Faraway Tree – Enid Blyton
- The Hodgeheg – Dick King Smith
- Jedi Academy 1 – Jeffrey Brown
- Magic Beans - a compendium of children's stories
- Gangsta Granny – David Walliams
- Team T.Rex – Frankie’s Magic Football 14 – Frank Lampard
- Dragons at Crumbling Castle – Terry Pratchett
- Flying Fergus 1: The Best Birthday Bike – Chris Hoy
- The Brilliant World of Tom Gates – Liz Pichon
- Monster Busters – Cornelia Funke
- Asterix the Gaul – Rene Goscinny
- Opal Plumpstead – Jacqueline Wilson
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Jeff Kinney
- Born to Run – Michael Morpurgo
- George’s Marvellous Medicine – Roald Dahl
- How to Train your Dragon - Cressida Cowell