Nobody does it better, or, If I don't blow my own trumpet nobody else will!

Ray "The Cat" Stearn in goal for Tom Palmer at The Wheatsheaf Library, Rochdale, part of the Ambassador's Day for the Summer Reading Challenge

Dear Ray, I am writing to thank you for your recent visits to our school this week as part of our Book Week activities. The children in Key stages 1 & 2 had a wonderful time. You brought the books to life for them and your visit really was a highlight of the week.

Once again, many thanks for a truly engaging and stimulating experience for the children into the world of literature. Helen Arnold, Headteacher, Holy Family RCP, Rochdale

"Simply Inspirational"
Sheila Sfrijan, Principal Librarian, Rochdale Library Service

I was incredibly impressed by Ray when I heard him telling his "bedtime" stories and when he and I both attended a recent Literacy Strategy meeting. I realised just how passionate he is to promote literacy across the borough and to encourage participation in library membership schemes, even via non-traditional pathways. I thought his reading about his grandfather was quite wonderful.
Norman Warwick, Just Poets


Hi Cheryl,
Just to let you know, the drumming and singing at Ashworth Valley is still making ripples round Rochdale
Just last Saturday a mum asked if we could help as her son had been chanting “caterpillar, big gorilla, yakity yakity yak!” ever since the 17th October
I was able to point her straight to Steve Webb Tanka Tanka Skunk, which she came in to borrow on Monday. Her son was well pleased!
I also gave her details of Pandemonium – a free drum circle group that meets once a month near the library here.
I was really delighted as I had wondered if the families had got full value out of the session as the group was so large and I was aware we were all shouting our rhymes and chants in the open air
Just goes to show what we can all do.
This is one of the best Emails I've ever opened!!!!! How fantastic is that!
We were so pleased with how the day went and thought it was a real success. Look forward to this years event.
Take care, speak soon, Cheryl

On Rochdale Children's Council
Ray has been a star in supporting the Council and working in Partnership with us.
Kind Regards
Jazz

LiveLife

Rachel Snow-Miller was singing your praises today! She said you were brilliant at the LiveLife event and that you completely understood what it was about and how a range of really good ideas about how your work could help deliver outcomes. Fab! Thought I’d pass that on…
Liz Townson
Joint Health Unit - Policy & Strategy Officer (Performance & Projects)

On Bookstart
Ray,
This is a glowing report – well done to you and your team.
Bookstart Plus delivery rates are particularly impressive – well above national average and a massive improvement on last year.
Well done again
Philip
Philip Cooke Performance and Development Manager

Ray came in to All Saints School, Rochdale, to tell stories to the children which were brill!
He used puppets and kept the children's interest throughout the session - which is not an easy thing to do. It was enjoyed by the adults and children present. Very good!
Because of Ray's brill stories I brought my son David to the library - he joined and is now enjoying reading books - previously a reluctant reader.
Lesley, David's Mum.

The Willow Pattern Plate

One of my favourite stories is told with a large piece of hand crafted paper and a willow pattern plate. The story that the plate tells comes to life by folding the paper to form the characters - come and see it if you don't believe me.

Bag Books popularity spreads thanks to PVA glue!

I still have only four of the wonderful Bag Books. They are a multi-sensory resource designed for use with PMLD (Profound Multiple Learning Difficulties) children, they work brilliantly with them and also I have enjoyed sharing the stories with Nurseries and Playgroups.

This recent warm weather caused an extra element to the story "Kofi and the Magic Shaker." The shaker handle had come off, once I'd collected all the pretty little blue beads up, stuffed them back in and "PVA glued" the handle back I needed a plan B. Being Superlibrarian-man that was no problem. The shaker I'd found in the charity shop for a mere 99p could rest from Rhythm & Rhyme duties and become a star, no problem, until I got to the part where the shaker is used and the handle of my back up fell off, depositing gravel from an African road all over the carpet!
Still, once the story was over and the music stopped I had a lively discussion with the three year olds about the qualities of our own tarmac and African gravel when you need a shaker to shake.
Returning to base I liberally applied more PVA.
I have a lovely line of shakers drying on the windowsill, wait a minute! Cue for a song
Ahem
1 million glued shakers drying on a wall!

Rochdale Readers do "The Gruffalo"

and a thorough do it was! Our young member who inspired the morning had written out the story herself, from memory. I read the story to the group using the storysack, so we had the puppets to inspire us. Then we made gruffalo masks from the Gruffalo activity book. There were lots of Gruffalo related items to take home, spot the difference, wordsearches, crosswords.
The Gruffalo is feeling very proud to be so well loved in Rochdale.