The children of High Park in Southport have been searching for books in High Park’s green spaces on World Book Day (3rd March).
Organised by the High Park Project and Southport Look for a Book, Look for a Book in High Park has had children from Bishop David Sheppard Primary school and across the neighbourhood hunting for books in Devonshire Road Park, Canning Road Park and Bispham Road.
“We hope that the kids will enjoy hunting for the books and it will help to encourage children to read for fun.
“Studies have shown that reading for pleasure can enhance wellbeing and improve life chances, so we hope this inspires children to pick up a book that they can then keep or re-hide after they have finished it,” Said Catrin Hughes, Activities Facilitator for the High Park Project, a National Lottery Community funded project.
Southport Look for a Book is a Facebook community group that started in 2019 By Sophie Tomlin and Kerry Parkinson and became a popular group in the Southport area with many people hiding and re-hiding books across the town.
Co-founder of Southport Look for a Book, Kerry Parkinson said: “When Covid hit, the scheme had to be paused, but we hope that with the Look for a Book in High Park event that Southport Look for a Book will be revived.”
Many of the books that have been hidden around High Park have been donated by local people. The books were packed, using compostable plastic bags, and hidden around High Park with help from members of the Student Leadership Council from Meols Cop High School.
Catrin Hughes said: “We want to thank the people of High Park who have donated over 200 books for the event and we want to thank Mr Norcross and the students from Meols Cop High School that have helped us.
“We hope the Look for a Book in High Park event will help spark a sustainable community book swapping scheme that will bring the joy of reading to families across the area.”
Children’s books and young adult books are hidden all over High Park, locations include, Canning Road Park, Devonshire Road Park and Bispham Road. If you come across a book make sure you post your find on the Southport Look for a Book Facebook page.
About the High Park Project
The High Park Project is a National Lottery Community funded project, that has five years’ worth of funding. Currently, in its 4th year, the High Park Project aims to address health inequalities, social isolation and facilitate community improvement activities in the High Park area of Southport – an area of multiple deprivations.
The project aims to do this by helping to give a voice to the community and challenging residents and stakeholders to improve their community, encourage healthier lifestyles and make them more accessible, and help to reduce social isolation.
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com
