Reading Down Town Day - 2013

12 Aug 2013 9:31 AM -

Forbes Birth to Kinder involves the Forbes community in an annual Reading Down Town Day to celebrate reading and raise awareness about the importance of reading to children right from birth.

People from all around Australia will be celebrating Book Week from Saturday 17th – Friday 23rd August and Forbes Birth to Kinder will be joining the celebrations with Reading Down Town Day on Friday 23rd August. Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book Week is the longest running children's festival in Australia, celebrating its 65th birthday in 2010. 

All early childhood centres and primary schools in Forbes participate in Reading Down Town Day, beginning at 9:30am. Community activities will conclude at 12:30pm

Activities from at 9:30 – 10:00

• Forbes Preschool, Bright Beginnings and families with young children will be treated to a performance from Barry Peters and his puppets at Forbes Town Hall in Harold Street
• Forbes Learning Ladder, Goodstart Early Learning and families with young children will be at the Anglican Church Hall doing activities
• Children in years 3 and 4 will be participating in “Book Trivia” at the school hall at Forbes North Primary School in Thomson Street
• Children will be reading in various shops around town
  
  

Activities from 10:30 – 11:00

• Forbes Learning Ladder, Goodstart Early Learning and families with young children will be treated to a performance from Barry Peters and his puppets at Forbes Town Hall in Harold Street
• Forbes Preschool, Bright Beginnings and families with young children will be at the Anglican Church Hall doing activities
• Children in years 5 and 6 will be participating in “Book Trivia” at the school hall at Forbes North Primary School in Thomson Street
• Children will be reading in various shops around town
  
  

Activities from 11:30 – 12:30

• Kinder, year 1 and 2 students will be treated to a performance from Barry Peters and his puppets at Forbes Town Hall in Harold Street
• Children will be reading in various shops around town
  
  

President of Forbes Birth to Kinder, Carmel McMurray, says that Reading Down Town Day is not only an opportunity to celebrate reading but also to increase awareness about the importance of reading to children right from birth in the community. “We are asking parents, teachers, schools, businesses and the general public to support and encourage our families to read to children right from birth so that every child may have a better start to a life of learning”.   

Major supporters of Reading Down Town Day include Essential Energy, Families NSW, St. George, North Parkes Mines, Goodstart Early Learning, Medway Vineyards, St. George and Forbes Shire Council. Essential Energy’s Regional Manager, Southern, Steven Ilitch, said this local initiative is important as it is encouraging children to read and learn. “Forbes Reading Down Town Day is a fantastic community initiative. This type of community program is what Essential Energy’s support program aims to do – assist a worthwhile initiative that benefits the local community,” Steven said

For further information please contact

President, Carmel McMurray, carmel.madeleine.mcmurray@det.nsw.edu.au
Phone 6859 2233, mobile 0408 291 523

Secretary, Raewyn Molloy, flldirector@westserv.net.au
Phone 6852 3135

Treasurer, Natalie Walker, nataliew@forbes.nsw.gov.au
Phone 6850 2300, mobile 0423 044 250

SaCC (Schools as Community Centre), Maree Yapp maree.yapp@det.nsw.edu.au
Phone 6852 3008, mobile 0427 963 048