CHILDREN taking part in a Pyjamarama being held in libraries across the Bradford district will receive a free book.

The event is in partnership with BookTrust and aims to give every child in the Bradford district a bedtime story, as well as spark their love of reading.

Events will take place across the district during from May 31 to June 9. Children under five will receive a free copy of the picture book Car, Car, Truck, Jeep by Katrina Charman and Nick Sharratt (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) when they are gifted at libraries, children’s centres and venues across the district at the themed events.

To encourage parents to read to their children BookTrust are encouraging families to dress in pyjamas at the events.

The celebration, championing the UK’s first free book-gifting scheme, will be given a kick-start in 2019 as Bradford Libraries become the largest member of an innovative scheme to help new mums.

The ‘Compassion for Mum’s Wellbeing’ scheme has been developed by the Specialist Mother & Baby Mental Health Service at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust to encourage to businesses and community venues to provide a welcoming and friendly environment for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth.

All 29 libraries in the Bradford district will join the scheme, which focuses on mums who are feeling socially isolated, anxious or are experiencing low mood. The ‘Compassion for Mum’s Wellbeing’ scheme will start in libraries on 3 June coinciding with the weeks celebrations for Pyjamarama.

The Pyjamarama events are aimed at children under five and will start with Pyjama Drama sessions at Shipley, Ilkley, Manningham and Baildon libraries.

A vintage Jowett van from Bradford Council’s Industrial Museum will be outside Shipley Library on 31 May at 10.00am alongside Bookstart Bear.

Children and parents can take part in an interactive drama book based session around the theme of transport. Places may be limited please contact the specific library in advance. www.bradford.gov.uk/libraries

Other libraries will offer Car, Car, Truck, Jeep sessions where children will be able to listen to the stories, receive the free book and join in with crafts including decorating giant cardboard cars, car key ring crafts and other transport themed activities.

Special story-times and book gifting will also take place in Broadway Shopping Centre on Monday 3 June 11am-3pm, where families can meet Bookstart Bear, the Bookstart mascot.

Bookstart Bear will then go on a tour of several libraries where he will help to gift the free books and encourage families to find out more about the Bookstart scheme.

Children’s Centres and Family Hubs will also take part in the celebrations with specially themed play and learn sessions involving messy play, crafts, stories and singing.

A full list of the events and activities during Pyjamarama Week is provided below:

Pyjama Drama interactive sessions will take place:

• Friday 31 May at Shipley Library at 10am and at Ilkley Library at 1pm

• Saturday 1 June at Baildon Library and Manningham Library at 10am.

There will be Car, Car Truck Jeep story-time and crafts:

• Saturday 1 June at Wrose Library from 10am to 12 noon

• Monday 3 June Eccleshill Library 2pm-2.45pm

• Tuesday 4 June at 10.30am at Bingley Library and at Burley Library, 1.45pm

• Wednesday 5 June at 11am-12noon at Thornton Library

• Thursday 6 June at 10am at Bingley Library and Clayton Library , at 1.30pm at Silsden Library and at 2pm at City Library

• Friday 7 June at 2pm at Wyke Library

• Saturday 8 June from 11am to 11.45am at Keighley Library

Heaton Hub Library will hold a transport stories, craft and messy play event on Thursday 6 June between 10am – 12noon and Laisterdyke Library will hold a stories and lollipop car crafts session on Saturday 8 June between 10.30am and 11.30am.

There will be transport themed play and learn sessions at Children’s Centres and Family Hubs:

• Monday 3 June between 9.30am and 11am at Rainbow Children’s Centre

• Tuesday 4 June between 9.30amand11am at Menston Children’s Centre, between 9.30am-11am at Daisy Chain Children’s Centre and between 9.30am and 10.45am at Hirst Wood Children’s Centre

• Thursday 5 June between 9.15am and 10.45am at Owlet Children’s Centre

• Friday 6 June between 9.15am and 10.45am at Low Fold Children’s Centre and between 9.15am and 10.45am at Trinity 5 Rise Children’s Centre

For more information about the events and activities visit: www.bradford.gov.uk/libraries

In Bradford alone, during 2018-19 Bookstart via the Library Service has gifted approximately 26,000 books through libraries, health visitors, children’s centres and early years settings.

The picture books and board books gifted also include packs available for children who are visually or hearing impaired, have fine motor delay, or whose first language isn’t English.

Maggie Pedley, Libraries, Museums and Galleries Manager at Bradford Council, said: “Reading to children is incredibly important and these events will help to support parents and carers in this.

“The Compassion for Mum’s Wellbeing scheme is an exceptionally innovative scheme providing welcoming and friendly environments for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth can really help mums who are feeling socially isolated, anxious or are experiencing low mood.”