News

Saturday 7th June was my first Reading Force event. I confess that I was curious and concerned as to how it would all go. But all trepidation was instantly swept away by the wave of enthusiastic librarians.  When I arrived, I found Emma and her energetic team busy at Plympton library in the midst of excited preparations. They were displaying bright bunting over a large party table topped with a deliciously decorated Reading Force iced cake, tempting strawberries and assorted fruits for children to savour. Colourful carpets were being rolled out for the families to banquet on. As soon as Reading [...]

Thank you to all those who submitted their finished scrapbooks to the April competition. We have read and looked at every single scrapbook – they came from all over the country and from Service families overseas. We (the Reading Force team, Alison, Elaine and Hattie), looked over them with our fantastic designer, Jo, and brilliant printer, Paul, both of whom were as captivated as us. We have been very impressed with all the work that has gone into each scrapbook. Some had amazing illustrations, others had great sections of writing and research into the book. Some were full of humour, others [...]

If your scrapbook is lying around at home and you like the idea of using it and want to enter the Scrapbook Competition, but you’re not sure what to put in it, read on... Hundreds of children and families are taking part in Reading Force at the moment, and we’ve already had some fantastic scrapbooks submitted to our Scrapbook Competition. The current competition closing date is 25th April 2014. First things first, remember your scrapbook is for you and your family and friends – there is no right or wrong way to complete it – only your way! If you like [...]

Thank you to all the families who entered the 2013 Scrapbook Competition. It has been a pleasure to look at the scrapbooks and fantastic to see all the different ways families have taken part – some at home together, some separated by deployments, some with extended family, some with one parent and child – and all completed with effort and creativity. Every scrapbook will soon be returned to families, along with a certificate and free book. Congratulations to everyone for taking part. We are pleased to say that many of you have won a prize! Details of your prize will be [...]

Free books for HMS Heroes! That’s right – we’re giving every Hero in Plymouth and North Yorkshire a free book. Since we found out about the fantastic HMS Heroes groups springing up all over the country, what great friends they are, and how supportive they are of one another, we have wanted to give them something special as part of Reading Force. We have been lucky enough to receive a grant from the Siobhan Dowd Trust to buy and give books to HMS Heroes in Plymouth and North Yorkshire who are doing Reading Force. (Heroes or group leaders can email us [...]

Harestock Primary School in Winchester won the Reading Force 2012 Competition prize for the most participating school by entering an eye-catching group of completed scrapbooks. Although children do Reading Force at home with their family and friends, school support and encouragement is a real boost to activity, and it was clear that Harestock staff got behind the initiative. The school’s prize was a visit from fantastic girl-pirate author Sara Starbuck, who supported Reading Force throughout 2012. Sara pulled together a pirate crew from the Harestock audience, then quizzed them on their pirate knowledge to see if they were truly fit for [...]

One of our top prizes in this year’s Reading Force Scrapbook Competition was to watch a celebrity photoshoot with Hello! magazine. The Edmonds family from Carterton won this prize with their fantastic scrapbook about Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. The Edmonds started reading the book together in July, then dad Michael was posted to Afghanistan in August. Chloe and Nicole read the rest of the book to their dad over Skype. Michael recently returned home so the whole family were able to attend the photoshoot with I’m a Celebrity runner-up Ashley Roberts. A good time was had by [...]

Thank you to everyone who entered the Reading Force competition and shared scrapbooks with us. We have really enjoyed looking at them. It has been brilliant to see how families have joined Reading Force and taken part with gusto. Rest assured, all scrapbooks will be returned with a certificate, and of course some of you will receive a prize! The scrapbooks have made us laugh, moved us, brought tears to our eyes, displayed your creativity, and shown us just how resourceful Forces children and parents are. The various ways in which family book groups completed their scrapbooks has also been lovely [...]

  THE 2012 Reading Force project has been launched at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with 35 children from Year 5 at Milton Park Primary School from Eastney in the city.Joining them was leading children’s author Sara Starbuck along with Rear Admiral John Lang, Deputy Lieutenant for Hampshire; The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Cllr Frank Jonas; Commodore Tony Radakin, Commander, Portsmouth Naval Base; Wing Commander Steve Beaumont, RAF; Colonel Celia Harvey, Deputy Commander, 145 (South) Brigade – the regional Army brigade, and Colonel David Cartwright, Directorate for Children and Young PeopleReading Force 2011 brought together Service families and friends in a [...]