Children and families across Islington are invited to Set Sail on a story trail around the borough as part of Get Islington Reading, a local initiative by the National Literacy Trust, The Reading Agency and Islington Council Library Service.

The exciting trail is aimed at children of all ages and follows a bespoke route and themes from When Secrets Set Sail by best-selling author Sita Brahmachari.

Similarly to the book’s characters Usha, Imtiaz and Cosmo, families are encouraged to head on a quest and follow a string of clues to explore Islington’s stories, lost voices and history together during the summer holidays.

Starting at Finsbury Library or the Lewis Carroll Children’s Library, from July 23 – August 29, families can pick up their trail map and write their findings to win a special, illustrated badge.

There will also be a range of complimentary activity and storytelling sessions from today, including:

–        Two storytelling events at the London Canal Museum at 11am and 2pm, on August 16

–        A tips for big change creative competition on our website

–        Anchors and sails, reading passports and create your own blue plaque activity sheets

–        A prize draw! Let us know what you thought of the trail and be in with a chance to win a £10 Love2Shop voucher

Parents of children, who are aged seven upwards, can watch the book come to life at two immersive storytelling workshops with Sita Brahmachari at the London Canal Museum on Tuesday 16 August.

They will explore the stories of the characters and learn more about the history of Indian nannies, known as the Ayah’s, who journeyed from India to the UK to look after British children, during the British Empire.

Funded by The Mercers Company and the Richard Whittington Fund, Set Sail on a Story trail supports children’s transition from primary to secondary school. Through the book’s characters, it gets children to read about other people’s experiences of big changes and learning about empathy, and therefore supporting their own journey.

The trail encourages children to connect to their local library, discover that reading is an activity that can be enjoyed together while uncovering secrets and history in their area.

The trail is the perfect activity to get children reading for pleasure with their families and discovering the magic of stories for supporting wellbeing outside of school.

It comes after research showed 2 in 5 (42%) of disadvantaged children left primary school unable to read well in 2019[1].

Research from the National Literacy Trust shows that reading can be an effective way of helping people care of their mental health and wellbeing – including boosting your mood, reducing stress levels and improving memory and concentration.

The trail runs from Saturday 23 July and trail maps are available for families to pick up from Finsbury Library or the Lewis Carrol Children’s Library during opening hours.

For more activities linked to the story trail and a special competition, visit getislingtonreading.org.uk.

Sita Brahmachari, author of When Secrets Set Sail, said: “Writing and reading is a treasure hunt of the imagination.

“The story trail offers young readers a fun and interactive summer holiday reading, local history and storytelling adventure.

“It’s perfect for students transitioning between primary and secondary school. Story trailers can pick up a badge to take with them to secondary school.

“I would have loved to take part in a trail like this when I was a child so it’s a joy to see my story charging imaginations and being a catalyst for such a creative quest.”

Jasmine Tucker, Project Manager of Get Islington Reading, said: “We hope this story trail will be a fun way for families to get out and about in Islington this summer, and discover stories and libraries in their local area.

“It’s a great activity for children headed to secondary school in September, to go on a local adventure, hunt for clues, and learn about the history and hidden gems of Islington.”

Tony Brown, from Islington Libraries, said: “What could be better at the start of summer holiday’s than an activity that combines fresh air and exercise in our borough with a fun, yet educational twist. There are so many special pieces of history to discover about Islington within the story trail.

“This is a brilliant resource and I am sure it will appeal to children, parents and carers alike and the added bonus of a free badge for families who hand in their completed map – what’s not to like.

“The trail is a brilliant way of sparking and nurturing love of reading in children outside school and we hope families will enjoy this unique way of spending time together. If you enjoy it, don’t forget to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge, too!”

-ENDS-

Media contacts

For further information or to request a spokesperson interview, please contact Phoebe Eckersley, Get Islington Reading Campaigns Manager at phoebe.eckersley@literacytrust.org.uk.

Notes to editors

About Get Islington Reading

Get Islington Reading is a three-year project which is generously funded by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington. The Reading Agency and the National Literacy Trust will work together with local partners including Islington Council Library Service, Islington School Improvement Service and Islington Education Library Service to develop a community of happy, confident readers across the borough, building on the work of local network Islington Reads. The Reading Agency will work with libraries and community groups to build reading engagement and enjoyment, while the National Literacy Trust will work with a selection of local schools to create a network of exciting, engaging activities to support and develop literacy skills.

Get Islington Reading will support families of children aged 9-14, inspiring young people to keep reading in the transition between primary and secondary school when reading for pleasure can often drop off.  Research shows that the longer children can sustain a love of reading, the greater the benefits; 10-year-olds who enjoy reading have a reading age 1.3 years above their peers who don’t enjoy reading. This rises to 2.1 years for 12-year-olds and 3.3 years for 14-year-olds.^[2]

About the National Literacy Trust

Our charity is dedicated to improving the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills of those who need it most, giving them the best possible chance of success in school, work and life. We run Literacy Hubs and campaigns in communities where low levels of literacy and social mobility are seriously impacting people’s lives. We support schools and early years settings to deliver outstanding literacy provision, and we campaign to make literacy a priority for politicians, businesses and parents. Our research and analysis make us the leading authority on literacy and drive our interventions. Literacy is a vital element of action against poverty and our work changes children’s life stories.

Visit literacytrust.org.uk to find out more, donate or sign up for our free email newsletter. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About The Reading Agency

The Reading Agency is a national charity that tackles life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading. We work closely with partners to develop and deliver programmes for people of all ages and backgrounds; our vision is for a world where everyone is reading their way to a better life.

We help 1.4 million people benefit from reading every year, through our programmes, our tireless campaigning, our excellent networks and our power to influence, challenge and make change happen.

Visit www.readingagency.org.uk to find out more or find us on social media @ReadingAgency