Pirates turn pages

Children at Home-Start family support groups were encouraged to celebrate the joy of reading this week by dressing up as pirates.

Groups at the Bridge Community Centre, Barnbygate Methodist Church Hall and Hawtonville Community Centre in Newark dressed up as part of a Pirates A-Hoy theme to mark National Bookstart Day 2008.

More than 50 children took part. As well as dressing up as pirates they sang nursery rhymes and read books that had a pirate theme.

National Bookstart Day is run by Bookstart, an organisation that gives free books to children.

The event is designed to encourage children to read for pleasure with their families.

Mrs Elaine Rossall, a senior organiser at Home-Start, Newark, said: “Anything that encourages children to enjoy books is worthwhile.

“We are hoping it will also encourage parents to enjoy books with their children.”

Parent Faye Allen (28) of Newnham Road, Newark, attended the group at the Bridge Community Centre with her daughter Brooke (1).

“It has been really good fun and the children have really enjoyed it,” she said.