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26 January 2012 at 10:09
The Spring 2012 issue of PTA-UK magazine highlights Readathon as an ideal, easy-to-run project for PTAs.
Some of the Readathon offce team are PTA members for their children's schools, so we know just how valuable these organisations are!
Although most schools' Readathons are run by teachers, we welcome applications from PTA volunteers who are helping to promote literacy or organising PSHE-related activities. A Readathon is also a great way to acquire new books for the school library without using the school budget or PTA funds.
Readathon is suitable for children of all ages, so whether your PTA is associated with a primary school or a secondary school, we'll be pleased to hear from you.
PTA-UK is the national charity representing over 13,600 PTAs across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Tags: PTA | library | books | PHSE | free
Posted in Fundraising | free books | primary school | secondary school | No Comments
03 January 2012 at 10:12
The New Year sees the arrival of a new database at Readathon to manage the charity's dealings with the thousands of schools all over the United Kingdom who take part in the Readathon sponsored reading scheme.
Prudent and timely investment in this new technology will make Readathon's administration even more efficient and cost-effective than it is already. This means that more of the charity's funds can be spent helping seriously ill children, and on encouraging all children to read for pleasure, rather than on office costs. Pleasingly, commissioning the new database turned out to cost less than maintaining the old one!
"The database has been custom-designed to suit our organisation and the needs of our supporters, so we are really looking forward to the longer term benefits it will bring to us all," reports Readathon Office Administrator Debbie Young.
"We will be able to respond faster when schools request their free Readathon resource packs - and despatch thank-you packs (and free book vouchers!) more swiftly to schools that have sent us their sponsorship money. As with any new computer system, things may take a little longer initially, while we transfer all the data across, so apologies in advance for any delay or teething troubles!"
The new system has been designed by Hostpipe, a specialist company local to Readathon's office in Gloucestershire. Hostpipe also created the new Read for Good website, launched in September 2011.
Tags: computer | database | schools
Posted in charity developments | No Comments
21 December 2011 at 12:12
With just a few days left of 2011, Readathon is starting to fill its 2012 calendar with significant book-related dates, including the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens.
In recognition of their huge contribution in encouraging children and young people to read for pleasure, Readathon's founders, Brough Girling and Gail Girling, have been invited to join HRH The Queen in marking the great author's bicentenary at Buckingham Palace on 14th February 2012.
We'd love to hear from any Readathon participants who choose a Dickens book for their sponsored read. Abridged, child-friendly versions are available for younger readers - and there's even an edition of A Christmas Carol illustrated by that ultimate child-friendly artist, Quentin Blake!
For more information about the full programme of the Dickens 2012 celebrations, please click here.
Tags: Charles Dickens | Brough Girling | Readathon | 2012
Posted in Dickens 2012 | No Comments
21 December 2011 at 11:21
On 7th December, Lower School children at TASIS, the American School in Surrey, were congratulated on completing yet another successful Readathon by special guest James Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity (RDMCC).
RDMCC is one of the charities to benefit from the sponsorship money raised by children who take part in Readathon, the UK's sponsored reading event for schools.
In a special celebration assembly, the school's top ten fundraisers were each given a personal special certificate of thanks and Mr Fitzpatrick was presented with a giant cheque for the sponsorship money raised by the school.
Mr Fitzpatrick thanked the Lower School for their diligence and explained to them how their sponsorship money will be used.
“Because of children like you, and all the hard work that you have done and money you have raised, we can enable children who are sick or disabled to have a better life," he said. "On behalf of Readathon, and all of the children that you have helped with this donation, I would like to thank you, as they could not be here today.”
Lower school librarian Jordan Kominsky has ensured that Readathon is supported each year, with approximately £7,000 raised over the past 5 years at TASIS. He is very proud of the work that the children do, putting the success of the fundraising effort down to the students alone.
“Our conscientious students are the people that make this happen," he says.
Readathon congratulates all concerned on such a fine result and would like to say a special thank you to Mr Kominsky for his long-term support and attention to detail in making Readathon such a success at TASIS.
Tags: Roald Dahl | charity | Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity | TASIS | American | school
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09 December 2011 at 12:17
The National Literacy Trust have this week published the results of a survey that have revealed that 1 in 3 children in the UK do not own a book, and that 1 in 5 children have not been to a library or book shop.
These shocking statistics provide even more reasons for a school to run Readathon. Readathon gets children excited about reading for pleasure; it can be run at any time of year for any length of time and importantly, children can read what they want.
The NLT survey also indicated that reading anything for pleasure can make a long term difference - a long held principle of reading.
As well as motivating children to read for pleasure, because schools who participate get free books for their schools, we hope we are helping children to access good quality, up to date titles that they might not be able to have at home.
To register for your free Readathon resource pack, click here.
For more information on the research, go to the National Literacy Trust.
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09 December 2011 at 11:22
If you have registered to run Readathon in the spring term, we will be sending your Readathon Resource Pack during the week of 9th January.
You can't miss your big, orange box, packed full with everything a school needs to run its Readathon.
Lots of schools are planning to run Readathon around World Book Day - it's an ideal way to get children reading for pleasure.
If you haven't registered yet - it's not too late. You can request a Readathon pack at any time. Just go to the registration page, email us at reading@readathon.org or give us a call on 0845 606 1151.
Posted in different ways of raising money | No Comments
10 October 2011 at 11:12
With just 30 pupils in its two classes, the tiny Swell Primary School in Lower Swell, in rural Gloucestershire, has made a complete triumph out of its first ever Readathon sponsored read.
Between them the children at this little village school have raised £216, entitling them to a free book voucher worth £43.20, which will provide a welcome boost to the school's library facilities.
Proud school administrator Judy Morgan called their achievement "amazing" - and we at the Readathon office definitely agree!
Tags: Lower Swell | Gloucestershire
Posted in Readathon sponsored read | primary school | school success stories | 2 Comments »
10 October 2011 at 09:59
On Friday our office team enjoyed a day out at the nearby Cheltenham Festival of Literature 2011 to attend Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson's fabulous Singalong event.
Accompanied by her husband on the guitar, she engaged 600 schoolchildren in her lively songs and stories. Her sister and great-nieces joined the cast, along with lots of children from the audience, together acting out favourites such as "The Stick Man" and "The Gruffalo", who made a special guest appearance in person!
After the event, we enjoyed chatting to Julia to find out more about her work. Did you know she started her career as a children's songwriter? She was equally interested in hearing the latest news from Readathon, of which she is a great advocate.
"Inspiring children to read is the greatest gift you can give them", she says.
She is also keen on our new Readwell programme, which takes books and storytellers into children's hospitals, not least because her guitar-playing husband Malcolm is a paediatrician.
An interview given by Julia later that afternoon is now available to see here. Her next mission is to collect her MBE later this week, awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honours, a few days after she was made Children's Laureate!
Tags: Julia Donaldson | Children's Laureate | The Gruffalo | The Stick Man | Julia Donaldson | Children's Laureate | The Gruffalo | The Stick Man
Posted in Cheltenham Festival of Literature | authors | No Comments
06 October 2011 at 12:58
A small group of pupils at the Christian School, Takeley, has earned the school over £70 worth of free books! Volunteering to take part in a Readathon over the school summer holidays, they raised an amazing £352 between them.
The whole school congratulated them with a special award ceremony. Part of their reward was to be allowed to help choose the new free books for the school library.
"I am passionate about children reading and so have been trying to build up and renew our stock of books," says Miss Susan Ash, Head of Primary at The Christian School. "We were delighted to receive our book token. I had no idea it would be for so much!"
As Miss Ash found out, running a Readathon is a great way to boost school book stocks, as well as encouraging children to read for pleasure and to raise money to help seriously ill children.
She added: "May I just comment, as a teacher running the event, how well organised it has all been. We were very impressed with the quality of the material and I am even more impressed with your fast response to the money we sent."
Well, we like to think that with Readathon, everyone wins! Congratulations to all who took part in The Christian School's sponsored read. Enjoy your new books, you deserve them!
Tags: The Christian School Takeley Essex
Posted in school success stories | No Comments
28 September 2011 at 12:38
The children of King Street Primary School in Spennymoor, County Durham, had great fun with their first ever Readathon, which captured the imagination of them all. They even decided to donate to Readathon the proceeds of their special Fair Trade Day, organised by the school's "R Team" (pictured).
The "R Team" is short for "The Rights Respecting Team", who are putting into place a UNICEF initiative to put children's rights at the heart of school life.
"Congratulations to all the King Street children who read for Readathon and a big thank you to the R Team as well," says Brough Girling, Readathon founder. "Your school library's 'reading boat' looks a great place to curl up with a book!"
King Street Primary School has since gained their Level 1 Rights Respecting School Award from UNICEF - a fabulous achievement.
Tags: donate | reading | library | | UNICEF
Posted in different ways of raising money | No Comments
