Wimbledon BookFest Schools Initiative
Wimbledon BookFest Schools Initiative
More than 10,000 school children across the borough of Merton take part in Wimbledon BookFest’s school’s programme…
Pictured above: George the Poet.
Wimbledon BookFest’s education programme goes from strength to strength, with the aim of improving literacy for children and young people of all ages.
Director Fiona Razvi tells us, “the education programme has always been central to the work of Wimbledon BookFest since we began 16 years ago, be it our events with authors to encourage reading, or our writing competitions to encourage children to write their own stories. We now work with 150 schools across south London. This year alone over 10,000 young people will have attended our events or taken part in BookFest projects. The initiatives go all the way up to sixth form, and working with young people and introducing them to the creative industries through volunteering is a vital part of the work we do.”
The programme includes the annual Young Writers’ competition, writers’ workshops with Caroline Lawrence, a free book initiative and author events, with Katherine Rundell, George the Poet and Cressida Cowell among those taking part this autumn.
Adds Fiona: “Highlights of the year to date have been our events at New Wimbledon Theatre with World Book Day author Lenny Henry for primary aged children and our Introduction to University Open Day for sixth formers at the University of Roehampton campus. As well as providing taster talks for 600 Merton sixth formers, the young people got to grill the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, about his policies and the introduction of ULEZ!”
To learn more about the schools programme, click here: https://www.wimbledonbookfest.org/schools/
Pictured above: Katherine Rundell and Cressida Cowell.
