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FREE BOOKS TO CELEBRATE
NATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY WEEK
To celebrate National Literacy and Numeracy Week the City of Greater Bendigo has 1200 free books to give away to children aged between 2 and four years who attend one of the City’s Maternal and Child Health sessions.
National Literacy and Numeracy week, which runs from August 29 to September 4 is a collaborative approach by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development together with early childhood services to raise community awareness around the enjoyment of literacy and numeracy and to highlight the pleasure of teaching these skills to young children.
Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe who is also a school teacher said he could not stress enough the importance of spending time reading to children.
“No matter how young children are, telling stories and reading books with your child is so important to help them develop the skills they need to learn to read and write. Every minute you can read with your child makes a difference.
“The City of Greater Bendigo is proud to be a child friendly city and I hope that parents visit one of our maternal and child health sessions and take home a book for their child,” said Cr Fyffe.
A broad range of books from authors including Pamela Allen (My Cat Maissie, Is your Grandmother a Goanna), Mem Fox (A Particular Cow, Where the Giant Sleeps), Graeme Base (Animalia, The Sign of the Seahorse), Beatrix Potter (The Tale of Johnny Town Mouse, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers), Alison Lest (Magic Beach, Imagine) and Lynley Dodd (Hairy Maclary series) plus several other authors and titles are available.
The free books will be available for all children aged between 2 and 4 years attending their local Maternal and Child Health centre and the City of Greater Bendigo Childcare centres at Annie Galvin, Bendigo Creche and Helen Jessen Children’s Centre.
To locate your nearest Maternal and Child Health Centre or Childcare Centre, please contact the City’s Children and Family Services on 5434 6364 or go to www.bendigo.vic.gov.au
Sharon Greenaway 
