All aboard the Education Library Service’s new all-electric Book Bus
The Education Library Service's new all-electric Book Bus visits William Stockton Primary School
The Education Library Service now has an all-electric Book Bus visiting schools across the whole of Cheshire.
The Education Library Service (ELS) is a fully-traded cost recovery service offering resources, advice and consultancy as well as events and activity programmes to schools to enrich learning and promote reading for pleasure.
The team recently visited William Stockton Primary School in Ellesmere Port with Cheshire West and Chester Councillor Lisa Denson to introduce the brand new all-electric Book Bus.
This was an extra special visit for the pupils at the school as they were able to choose new books for their school library and also be gifted a free book for the summer holidays to read as part of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge: ‘The Story Garden’.
Councillor Denson and library staff helped the children choose books from a range of new and exciting titles. Some of the pupils were also lucky enough to be able to share a story with Councillor Denson on the bus.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for a Fairer Future, Councillor Lisa Denson said:
The ELS Book Bus visits primary and special schools throughout the year who subscribe to the service to enable them to choose new books to refresh their library spaces and reading corners in school. The visits are a highlight of the year for staff and pupils. It’s a real treat to be picked to come and choose new books for your class. ELS staff on board enjoy recommending new and interesting books to inspire reading and learning in the school.
The ELS would like to expand and explore the way in which they support the wider community. It already offers voluntary roles and work placements to help filling shelves with books within the building but it also has an extensive outside green space with potential for further opportunities.
This space will become the Story Garden – a community growing and wellbeing activity space. The Story Garden will enable ELS to offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities and placements for many local providers who are looking for opportunities for their clients. This will be invaluable for many providers who are supporting people into work or for those supporting young people with additional needs.
ELS has been working with GroZone in Northwich who have built some accessible planters, pergolas and planted fruit trees. GroZone have also started to replant the native hedgerow around the site to encourage wildlife. The team will continue to work with GroZone to develop the Story Garden and explore opportunities for funding for plants, equipment and training for volunteers and placements.
To fully realise the Story Garden concept and provide a variety of wellbeing arts and creative activities they are also working with Ellesmere Port based artist Action Jen formally known as Poets in Paint. Action Jen and her team have transformed an old storage container to bring the Story Garden to life and will be providing workshops for ELS’s subscribing schools and volunteers.
Action Jen and her team carry out activities which benefit the community and in particular improve people’s quality of life through creative and artistic enhancement of public spaces and the physical environment.
If you would like to find out more about the Story Garden or volunteer please get in touch.
If you would like to find out more about Cheshire Education Library Service and what they do please contact: EDUCATIONLIBRARYSERVICE@cheshiresharedservices.gov.uk