Welsh Libraries take a lead during the Summer of Fun

Libraries continue to surprise families who walk through their doors, and this Summer is no exception.  Think dancing, opera, moon watching, space travel, coding, sign language and train journeys. And ice cream and chocolate inventions, wildlife, beach combing, map making…all between the bookshelves.

The Summer of Fun – free, fabulous activities and events funded as part of a Welsh Government initiative – has been designed to help young visitors (chiefly 4 – 11-year-olds) explore the world around them in new ways. Inspired by the hugely popular Summer Reading Challenge (this year themed Gadgeteers and all about STEM learning), Summer of Fun has adopted the name Project Gadgeteers and is opening hearts and minds to the science in the everyday…the inventions and innovations, machines and motors, moon and stars, coastline and climate change, wildlife and weather…

Huge shout out to the librarians who are running such amazing events and have recruited ambassadors for the above to deliver workshops in their libraries. To Techniquest who’ve brought some grand hands-on activities and ideas to the table (in fact scores of tables in libraries up and down the country!) And to the army of favourite children’s authors and Welsh writers now delivering their own take on the theme via their fabulous stories and wonderful workshops. The list includes the wonderful Eloise Williams, Huw Davies, Caryl Lewis, Sara Kilbride, Camilla Chester, Malachy Doyle, Casi Wyn, Mark Llewelyn Evans, Awen Schiavone, Casia Wiliam, James Carter, Mark Blayney, Sharon Marie Jones, Jon Blake, Tracy Hammett, Holly Rivers, Rob Williams… (with more joining the celebrations as the weeks unfold).

“Families across Wales are feeling the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis, and their library is the perfect, freely accessible place to go on a summer adventure,” says Nicola Pitman, chair of the Society of Chief Librarians Cymru and library lead on the campaign. “We’ve laid on a massive programme of activities across Wales to help unleash children’s imaginations over the summer months.  And of course libraries are – always will be – the best first stop for families wanting to discover and get advice on other things to do together across the holidays. And the free reads they can take away with them as they go!”

“The Reading Agency works tirelessly to ensure that children all over the UK are reading their way to a better life,” adds Karen Napier, CEO of The Reading Agency who are managing the national campaign. “This cross-Wales initiative will allow us to bring the benefits of reading for wellbeing to children all over the country. We can’t wait to connect children with their local libraries, which are such valuable community hubs of creativity.”

#SummerOfFun #HafoHwyl