What: National Year of Reading launch in Cumbria
Where: Borrowdale, Dalton-in-Furness and Kendal
When: 10:00am on Wednesday 23 April 2008
Cumbria County Council is kicking off its National Year of Reading activities later this week (23 April).
The county council is encouraging people of all ages to take ten minutes out of their day to read something on Wednesday 23 April, at 10:00am.
Called ‘10 at 10’ the mass-read marks the start of National Year of Reading –a series of campaigns and activities designed to inspire everyone to read more, with a focus on reluctant readers, those with low confidence, and boys and dads.
People are being encouraged to read anything: from football programmes to blogs; and from newspapers to sports magazines.
To mark the occasion, Cumbria County Council has arranged a series of special picture opportunities with people reading in some of Cumbria's more unusual locations.
As well as recognising ‘10 at 10’ the picture opportunities will also provide media with visual images ahead of the National Year of Reading’s ‘Join a Library Day’ which selected libraries throughout the UK will be taking part in on Saturday 26 April.
Children, young people and families that join Cumbria Library Service on Saturday at one of the county's six main libraries (Barrow, Carlisle, Kendal, Penrith, Whitehaven and Workington) will receive a free copy of the exclusive National Year of Reading’s The Ultimate Book Guide and a library welcome pack.
Media Invitation
You are invited to send a reporter and camera crew/photographer on Wednesday 23 April, at 10:00am to:
* Honister Slate Mine, Honister Pass, Borrowdale where a local miner will be donning his hat and lamp to read a passage from Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth, deep under the Cumbrian landscape. There will also be a picture opportunity on the mine's famous Via Ferrata (an 'iron way' hammered into the hillside which was used by miners in Victorian times). Pictures will be available on request after this event.
* The Lakeland Climbing Centre, Lake District Business Park, Kendal where librarian Jane Metcalf will be slipping into a climber’s harness to read a passage from the mountaineering epic Touching the Void while suspended at the top of the centre’s 60ft climbing wall.
* The South Lakes Wild Animal Park, Broughton Road, Dalton-in-Furness where a keeper will be reading a passage from Paddington Bear at the Park's Spectacled Bear enclosure (this year is the 50th anniversary of Michael Bond's marmalade sandwich-loving character).
All media should confirm attendance in advance by contacting Cumbria County Council Media Officer, Mark Graham on 01228-606337.
ENDS
Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337