New specially designed reading bench opened at Walsall's central library
Walsall Council’s year of reading mascot Woody the dog has unveiled a special reading bench decorated by award-winning children’s book writer and illustrator Steve Smallman.
English setter Woody unveiled the bench at Walsall's central library on Saturday morning. He was joined by his owner Anne Derry and Mr Smallman to reveal the new reading bench to the children and foster carers who were in attendance at the Lichfield Street library.
Mr Smallman transformed the ordinary bench into a creative reading bench including story-related designs.
Walsall's year of reading aims to raise the profile of reading and literacy skills across the borough through a series of educational and learning initiatives. As part of this Woody has been visiting schools across the borough encouraging children to read.
Rita Mills, strategic library manager for the council, said: "Encouraging children to discover the joy of reading and sharing stories is a great way to inspire their imagination and encourage the use of the library service as a life skill.
"This beautiful bench will be a lasting legacy to the successful year of reading and help develop a love of reading for future generations of children to come.”
The painting of the final bench to celebrate the year of reading was a joint project between Walsall libraries and Walsall Council’s fostering team.
Lisa Preston, the group manager for Provider Services at Walsall Council, said: “Inviting our foster carers and their children along to meet Woody and Steve and take part in this creative session was a great way for the children to have some fun together and be part of celebrating the year of reading. The children’s designs are a big part of the finished bench.
The bench was unveiled in the lead up to the national foster care fortnight which aims to encourage more people to step forward to consider becoming foster carers.
Ms Preston added: “This eye-catching bench also features Walsall’s fostering branding and will remain in the lending library for all to see to promote fostering in Walsall. The fantastic work that foster carers do is really celebrated during foster care fortnight and we hope that we can prompt people to find out more about fostering with Walsall Council during the next two weeks.”
