Winners of the Summer Reading Challenge prize draw celebrated today (Thursday 22 September) as Mayor of Merton, Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender, awarded 14 children vouchers and entertainment tickets.
This year’s Circus Star themed challenge was a record breaker, with 2,944 children aged four to 11 taking part in this year’s event compared to 2,817 last year. This is the highest number of children to ever participate in the Summer Reading Challenge and means that a huge number of Merton’s school children are developing their reading through the fun project.
The national event organised by The Reading Agency encourages children to read six books over the summer holidays. Young readers are given incentives along the way including bookmarks and stickers, and the 1,421 children who completed all six books were then entered into a prize draw for tickets to Eddie Catz children’s play centre, the Polka Theatre and toy store vouchers.
Merton Council’s cabinet member for community and culture, Councillor Martin Whelton said: “The Summer Reading Challenge has been a huge success in Merton year after year. Almost 3,000 children joined the challenge and will have improved their literacy as a result. Merton Libraries have a great deal to offer families and organise many children’s activities for free. We hope that the success we’ve enjoyed with the Summer Reading Challenge, encourages more residents to come along to the many events we organise in our libraries throughout the year.”
For more information on forthcoming events in libraries visit http://www.merton.gov.uk/libraries.
Notes to editors:
Photos are available on request
Full list of winners below. MO = Morden Library, PH = Pollards Hill Library, MI = Mitcham Library, DH = Donald Hope Library, WB = West Barnes Library, RP = Raynes Park Library
Top Prize – £100 toy store voucher
Alec Coaker (WB) aged 8
Toy store vouchers – £20
Vithusha Uthayachandran (MO) aged 10
Fabien Marie-Jeanne (MI) aged 8
Vedant Sharma (DH) aged 9
Nadia Karcy (PH) aged 10
Toy store voucher £15
Callum Ferguson (MO) aged 7
Polka Theatre ticket – I have a dream
Joseph Reuss (WI) aged 7
Runner up prizes – Eddie Catz tickets
Millie Hardy (WB) aged 5
Leah Gokani (MI) aged 5
Tomas Conway (PH) aged 5
Luke Lyon (RP) aged 6
Isabelle Hales (RP) aged 6
Mikan McDonald (WI) aged 6
Hellen Johny (DH) aged 7
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Press Contact:
Leoni Munslow
Communications Officer
London Borough of Merton
020 8545 4654