Space Hop Summer Reading Challenge a Great Success in Hedge End – and the Volunteers had a Great Time Too

It hardly seems two minutes since I was writing an article asking for volunteers for the forthcoming Summer Reading Challenge – and now it’s the first week of the autumn term, the nights are drawing in, it’s cold, grey and raining (at time of writing) and the summer seems a distant memory.

The Space Hop Summer Reading Challenge has a few days left to run, finishing this weekend on Saturday 11 September, but here in Hedge End it's already being hailed a great success.

To date 768 children have enrolled on the scheme and 224 have completed the challenge – which means they’ve read six books (the stories of which they’ve recounted to a volunteer) and received six stickers and a certificate – equal with last year’s figures in Hedge End.

Eleven volunteers took part in the scheme, seven veterans from previous years and four novices.

Two of the new recruits were Anne Hunter and William Sambrook and both say they have really enjoyed the experience. During the eight weeks since the scheme launched they’ve completed three sessions of two hours each per week and have seen an average of 60 children.

The Summer Reading Challenge was set up to encourage children aged 4-11 to read, and the largest age-group taking part at Hedge End comprised children aged 5-6 years say Anne and William, with equal numbers of boys participating as girls.

Anne explains how the scheme works: “Children can choose any book to read, and when they’ve read two they relate the stories to a volunteer to earn a pair of scented stickers – the first smell of rocket fuel (because of this year’s ‘space hop’ theme), the second of chocolate and the third of books.

 “I’ve never felt that any child hasn’t read the book properly. Sometimes it’s difficult getting the story out of the child, at other times the children just talk and talk. Some want to tell you the story page by page – others you have to prompt to get a basic plot.”

The abridged edition of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell was chosen by a number of children, but interestingly neither Anne nor William heard any Harry Potter.

 

“I also really enjoyed the new version of the three little pigs story when they make a gingerbread man who kills the wolf,” adds Anne.

William says of the scheme, “It gives the children an incentive to read and keep up with their reading over the summer holidays and means they have a head start when they go back to school. 

“The children enjoy taking part but they also get a sense of achievement. The child’s school is told they’ve participated and his or her name is added to a ‘role of honour’ which is read out in assembly.”

Mike Brennan, Hedge End Library Supervisor, comments, “The scheme has gone really well. We’re a small branch and we’ve been really busy at times, but we’ve also had more volunteers than last year.

“We’ve also had a really enthusiastic response to the spaceship design challenge, with some amazingly creative and imaginative structures.”

This was an initiative of Mike Brennan’s to encourage children to have a go at building a spaceship and the resulting 26 designs are on display in the children’s section at the library.

Last words go to Anne and William who are both hoping to participate in the scheme again next year.

William: “I enjoy books and reading and being with people who like books. I like the interaction with children and reading books with them.”

Anne: “it’s great being able to encourage children to read. This is my last day and I will miss being involved with the scheme.”