Celebrating Bookstart Corner

Wendy Cooling at the Yvonne Carr Children's Centre

To celebrate the successful launch of Bookstart Corner, Booktrust’s new targeted programme, Wendy Cooling, founder of the Bookstart Programme, visited the Yvonne Carr Children's Centre in Wandsworth. The visit was also an opportunity to support and celebrate the good work being done locally around sharing stories, books and rhymes with babies and toddlers.

Bookstart Corner has been developed by Booktrust to reach families that need additional help and encouragement to develop a book, story and rhyme sharing habit. The Yvonne Carr Children's Centre is one of over 2270 children's centres taking part in the Bookstart Corner programme this year. Evaluation for year one of the programme is currently being conducted and year two of the programme is due to commence from August this year.

The programme resources are a fun way to support a child’s early learning and development, set them on the road to literacy and to becoming confident learners. Working with our partners in children’s centres across England, the programme aims to improve parental aspirations and skills and help families give their children the best possible start. 

Wendy Cooling met local staff and families at the event, enjoyed a rhymetime session and shared two wonderful picture books – Cat on the Mat and Rumble in the Jungle – with families. The books were well received by the children and their families. Wendy encouraged them to look closely at the pictures and talk about emotions, before having the chance to hiss like snakes and roar like lions together. The Bookstart Bear also visited the centre and made two VIP appearances at the event. 
 
Gail Collingwood, from the Battersea Early Years Team said:
'I love delivering Bookstart Corner, it gives me a great opportunity to support local families who may not be accessing local services. The Bookstart resources are excellent, very high quality and they always go down really well with the families I work with where books and support resources in the home may be limited.'
 
Our thanks go to all the children, families and staff at the Yvonne Carr Children’s Centre as well as Wendy Cooling, Nikki Gray, the Centre Manager, Gail Collingwood, Hilary Manning from Wandsworth Libraries and our session leader Muriel.