Monday, November 01, 2010

Good grandparents recognised by literacy charity

The contribution made by grandparents to schools and families makes a huge difference but is not always recognised in the same way as that made by parents.

The literacy charity, Duffy Books in Homes, decided to make a point of rewarding grandparents who have gone the extra mile. They may have helped with coaching a sports team, doing maintenance around the school or even simply spending extra time helping their grandchildren with their reading.

Schools choose their lucky grandparent in many different ways. Children might write stories or poems about them or if the choice is too hard then there might be a lucky draw.
This year, schools will pick one special grandparent and honour them with a certificate and book presented at a school assembly.

This year’s award is Coastlines of New Zealand by Warren Jacobs, published by New Holland Kowhai. This stunning collection of Warren Jacob's full colour photographs covers the extent of the country's magnificent coastline

Duffy Books in Homes General Manager, Linda Vagana, says “With grandparents taking such an active role in supporting families we think it’s important that they are recognised, just like mums and dads.”

Since the official launch in 1995 with 80 schools, 16,000 students and 14 sponsors, the Duffy Books in Homes programme has grown to encompass 547 schools, around 100,000 students and 198 sponsors in 2010. More than seven million books have been distributed to children in low-decile schools since the programme’s inception and August 24th marked the 15th anniversary of its launch.

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