ECEC steps up to support Cumberland City to Paint Cumberland REaD

Six new community reading boxes have been revealed as part of the Paint Cumberland REaD Program, supporting Cumberland City’s youngest readers to have more books to explore.

Mascot Poppy the Possum attended the official launch of the new boxes at Jack and Jill Park in Berala earlier this week.

The community reading boxes are a small collection of books located within streets, parks and at the front of the childcare centres across the Cumberland City Local Government Area.

Cumberland City Mayor Lisa Lake said she hoped that the reading boxes would encourage community reading, spark children’s imagination and improve literacy skills.

“According to 2021 early childhood census data, children in Cumberland are behind the state average when it comes to literacy and communication skills and are particularly vulnerable in the areas of language and communication,” she said.

“The community reading boxes give families the opportunity to take a book and sit down at one of the reading seats to engage in early literacy together.”

There are 19 community red reading boxes and five reading seats in Cumberland City which are easily identifiable and accessible for families to take a book and leave a book.

Council partnered with the Granville Men’s Shed to make these boxes which are left unlocked to allow for book donations or borrowing at any time.

The Paint Cumberland REaD Program launched its first community reading boxes in 2018 to encourage community reading, improve access to books and promote children’s literacy.

Information about Cumberland City Council’s Paint Cumberland REaD Community Reading Boxes can be found in the previous link.