Devon Libraries & Bookstart launch successful Bounce & Rhyme beach events

Under 5’s and their families celebrated National Bookstart Week with FREE Bounce & Rhyme events on the beaches of Devon.

Over 350 parents and children attended the events which were designed to encourage reading as a fun activity. They were held by Devon Libraries in conjunction with Bookstart and Children's Centre staff across the county. Themed ‘Under the Sea’, events were held at Ilfracombe, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Dartmouth & Exmouth and were aimed at under 5’s and their parents and carers.

Reading resources were gifted to parents and children from Devon Libraries’ partner, BookTrust, who run the Bookstart scheme, on each day to full of fun activities to encourage and inspire families to read together. Throughout the week BookTrust gave away 450,000 underwater adventure books, one for every child who attended an event across the UK.

Kath Walters, Bookstart Outreach Officer says, “Thanks to funding support from Devon County Councillors in each area we are so pleased to have been able to run these events. Each have contributed £100 to help us organise, promote, deliver and evaluate them and to be able to work effectively with our partners to ensure that we are reaching those that will benefit within each community. Everyone who attended had a great time and what a different and exciting way to encourage youngsters to read!”

BookStart gifts free books to all children at two key ages before school to help families read together every day and inspire children with a rewarding love of books. National BookStart Week 6 -12 June saw thousands of free events around the country for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and their families, at libraries, children’s centres, nurseries and bookshops.

Libraries Unlimited, the independent mutual, who are now running Devon Libraries hope to duplicate the success of these events in October when they will be delivering a further programme of activities also funded in part by Devon County Councillors.
Ciara Eastell, Chief Executive of Libraries Unlimited, says “This type of event shows how libraries are changing and how keen we are to find ways to reach out to people who don’t currently use our libraries.  What better way than to take books onto Devon’s beautiful beaches to have fun reading sessions with young children and their families”.

For more details about events and Devon Libraries please visit

Twitter: @DevonLibraries

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Devon.Libraries/