A prize presentation for winners of the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge has added to Henry Bloom Noble Library’s recent packed programme of events.
Over the school summer holidays the library, a service provided by Douglas Borough Council, held the ‘Wild World Heroes’ Summer Reading Challenge, supported by Lloyds Bank.
The nature-themed challenge aimed to alert children to how they can help to protect the environment and tasked them to read six books of their choice during the school holiday.
Ahead of the awards presentation by the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Janet Thommeny and Councillor Natalie Byron, Borough Librarian Jan Macartney said that 110 children had completed the challenge. She continued: ‘Wild World Heroes revealed some amazing creativity in the craft competition and book reviews, and we’re extremely grateful to Lloyds Bank for their support and enthusiasm for the challenge.’
Lucy Felton from Lloyds Bank said: ‘It was a pleasure to support the Summer Reading Challenge and to see the fantastic competition entries. 2021 has been a challenging year educationally and so for children to have risen to the challenge of reading six books over the holidays is an outstanding achievement.
‘My colleague, Caitriona Green, and I have loved being involved with the challenge and look forward to continuing our association with Jan and the team at the Henry Bloom Noble Library next year.’
In addition to hosting the Summer Reading Challenge the library supported Libraries Week, a UK-wide campaign from October 4 to 10 aimed at highlighting the important role libraries make to community life, during which Manx Bard Owen Atkinson held an interactive session on National Poetry Day, October 7, with customers taking lines from two poems and mixing and matching them to create original poems.
Lloyds Bank’s Caitriona Greene and Lucy Felton with Erin Quayle, eight, winner of the Lloyds Bank Green Hero award
Mrs Macartney added: ‘Over these past months it’s been great to welcome so many people to the library, especially young people. It’s always our goal for the library to be at the heart of the community, the most recent illustration of which was when we hosted a Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, when we raised £176.60.
‘And there’s more. We’re having a ghoulish craft session on Friday October 29 from 10 to 11am and “The Friendly Witch” is holding two interactive story times at 1pm and 2pm on Saturday October 30. Just call us on 696461 to reserve your place.’
The Henry Bloom Noble Library is at 8 Duke Street, Douglas, library@douglas.gov.im. or visit douglaslibrary.im
