Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Program from the Cleethorpes Rotary Club

Rotary Club of Cleethorpes programmes with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library 1. Little Stars Nursery Started in March 2014, the first programme was with a local nursery. We applied for and received a Global Grant from Rotary International, where the Dolly Parton Imagination Library is an official Partner. (Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library for literacy)

At the moment 140 children receive book every month at the Little Stars Nursery.

Rotary Club of Cleethorpes programmes with local Primary Schools

and Nurseries 2. Bursar Academy The Rotary Club of Cleethorpes has strong links with this school are helping with “Hands On Projects” and our annual children's Christmas party is held at the school. The Imagination Library programme needed no money from us as the programme is funded with the Pupils Premium. It was started with 30 children

3. St. Peter’s Nursery These children range in age from 1 to 4. Started in 2015, 100 children are registered on this programme, and it is funded by the Rotary Club.

4. Thrunscoe Academy Another school that our club has close links with, the Imagination Library was started in October 2015. Currently 30 children are receiving books every month. This is funded jointly

by Pupils Premium and our Rotary Club.

5. Dolly Parton is an Honorary Member of our club since December 2014 American music legend Dolly Parton has just become an Honorary Member of The Rotary Club of Cleethorpes after its involvement with her worldwide book project. Her “Imagination Library” has boosted literacy to the under-fives by giving free books.

BBC Look North filming at Little Stars Nursery

The next programme

6. St Peter’s C of E Primary Academy in Cleethorpes This programme was started 11th November 2016.

It is funded by our Rotary Club

7.I Imagination Library at St. Joseph, s Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy A NEW class of Cleethorpes youngsters has been handed the chance to collect free books up to the age of five as a Rotary library project continues to expand. The Rotary Club of Cleethorpes has funded half of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy’s nursery, with the school providing the remaining investment. The innovative scheme sees youngsters receive a hand-selected free book every month from birth until age five, in a bid to encourage reading and literacy skills from an early age. St Joseph’s has become the seventh school or nursery in North East Lincolnshire to take up the initiative.

Each child receives the starter book “Peter Rabbit”

8. Queen Mary Avenue Infant and Nursery School This programme was launched 27th February 2019

Queen Mary Avenue Infant School is a community school located in Cleethorpes, England where 337 pupils ranging from 3-7 years of age attend.

9.

Ormiston South Parade Academy This program was started 10th October 2018 The principal of this project is the Grimsby Rotary Club with the support from our club

10.

We supported the project in Immingham.

After the success of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library at the Little Stars Day Nursery at Grimsby Institute and St Peter's Children's Centre in Cleethorpes, the project has now arrived in Immingham.

Funded by One Voice, the scheme allows children to have free books from birth to the age of five.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has made its way to Immingham's Children Centre.

The move will allow children from Immingham, Habrough and Stallingborough to receive a free book each month.

11. The next big project was with the Oasis Academy Nunthorpe We supported the launch on Friday 18thJanuary with the Oasis Academy Nunsthorpe who will also be launching the Dolly Parton imagination Library with their Nursery and Reception children, over 100 children will be registered.

12. Precious Time Childcare Services 16th March we supported the Precious Time Nursery in Grimsby.

Precious Times Childcare Services is a long - established company in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire we are all passionate about providing the very best for the children and families we work with.

We take childcare seriously while having lots of fun in a safe and stimulating environment.

13.Welholme Primary Academy Was started in 2021

Our aim is that Welholme Academy is a safe and nurturing place, where all children, staff and visitors feel welcome and valued and believe that together we can achieve anything. Children learn best when they are happy and confident and we want every child to achieve the very best they can. We encourage them to challenge themselves and to be proud of all their achievements.

14.Macaulay Primary Academy Was started end of 2021 Macaulay Primary Academy is a great place to learn and work. Our school motto is ‘Today’s learners, Tomorrow’s leaders’ and we believe that all children, irrespective of their background, can succeed and achieve their ambitions. We provide a happy, caring, safe and stimulating environment where learning is fun and everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential and attaining the highest possible standards is at the heart of all we do. We aim to broaden children’s minds and raise their aspirations. There is a ‘can do’ approach from both staff and children with everyone working together, striving to make our school the best that it can be.

15. Strand Primary Academy Was started end of 2021 with a Grant from ORSTED At Strand Primary Academy we have a team that is absolutely committed to ensuring that our children are at the heart of everything we do.

Our motto is ‘Together we are Stronger’ and we believe that when staff, parents and children work together all children, irrespective of their background, can succeed and achieve their ambitions. We work together to provide a happy, caring, safe and stimulating environment where learning is fun and everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential. We aim to broaden children’s minds and raise their aspirations.

We foster a ‘can do’ attitude with everyone working together and we strive to make our school the best place to be.

16.Willows Primary Academy Started end of 2021 Willows Academy has a caring and supportive ethos who are outward looking and a child and family centred school. We take great pride in creating a warm and friendly environment and a positive culture for learning.

Our motto is ‘Believe and Achieve -Growing Together.’ We believe that all children have the right to be successful and that every child has the potential to achieve amazing things.

Quotes from some parents: Reading is so important for children especially of this age. I always read to my son every night at bedtime and his new favourite book is 'Peter Rabbit. I look forward to receiving our next book in the post."

"We love the scheme Aiybha loved the Peter Rabbit books and we can't wait to see what we get next. Thank you.

Our primary goal is: To enhance families’ home literacy environment to promote more parent/family involvement in early literacy. It is our hope to provide a rich

literacy environment for young children and to foster meaningful and nurturing parent-child interactions that result from reading together.

Our secondary goal is: To foster relationships between families with young children and their future schools to facilitate children’s transition.

What difference will it make if I read aloud to my child every day?

It is our hope that every child, regardless of language, cultural, or economic differences, will develop a healthy love of reading, have a proficient vocabulary and begin school with the early literacy skills that are important for academic success. Sharing books together in the home will also strengthen the parent-child bond.

There are also benefits for the community. The long-term economic and cost-saving benefits of a proactive approach to early literacy are substantial in the potential for: reducing the need for costly educational programmes to address the needs of struggling students; improving NEET rates (students not in Education, Employment and Training); lowering rates of social problems and developing the skills of North East Lincolnshire’s workforce.

“Sharing books in the home supports much more than a love of reading; time together enjoying books helps build communication, listening, understanding and talking skills.

“It is great to see communication and language skills improving in children.This highlights what a real asset the Imagination Library is and how important reading from an early age is. Children should be given the best start in life and the Imagination Library greatly helps with this.

Message from Dolly Hello Dear Friends.

This wonderful book and all the books to follow are a special gift for you. If one wish of mine could come true. I hope my Imagination Library gives wings to all of your dreams.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, as your first book of this wonderful programme, seems to be just the right place for you:

Try to be the first one up the mountain.

The highest flying dreamer in the sky.

Try your best to be inspiration.

For other that are still afraid and shy.

Try to make the most of every moment.

If you fail, get up and try again.

Try each day a little harder.

If you never try, you never win.

I hope you love these books and enjoy the precious memories they will create.

Love

Take a look at our top 10 findings.

We’re pretty sure you’ll be grinning as big as we are.

1. Children who participated in the IL program are more likely to be

performing at grade level and least likely to be performing below grade level than their non-participating peers 2. Children who participated in the IL program were more likely to

score higher on literacy assessments, even into third grade 3. Parents of children receiving Imagination Library books say they

read together more often and this activity, coupled with close adult-

child interaction using Imagination Library activities, improves the child’s speaking skills and vocabulary 4. Skills such as maths scores and cognitive skills are

significantly improved with participation in the Imagination Library 5. Participation in the Imagination Library program does help develop

positive social-emotional and behavioural skills 6. Imagination Library participants are able to acquire a basic

understanding of print and book component concepts, including separate words and letters and book-handling skills 7. Program participation promotes one-on-one time for reading and

nurturing between children and adults 8. Having books in the home has been consistently proven to be a

predictor of children’s academic success, each family build a library of as many as 60 books, instilling pride and a sense of selfesteem in the young recipients 9. Love and understanding of reading is shared among children,

families and communities participating in the Imagination Library 10. Imagination Library participation may affect the overall amount and

quality of parent-child interactions and lay the foundation for adults’ consistent involvement in their children’s learning and development.

Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover With her tell-take looks and sweet, sultry voice, Dolly Parton has been a country and western icon for more than half a century.

The legendary singer has sold more than 100 million records and enjoyed a successful movie career. However, less well-known is Dolly’s philanthropy.

Since the mid-1980s, she has supported many projects through her Dollywood Foundation, including the Rotary-supported Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Article in the Rotary April – May Edition Don’t judge a book by its cover WITH her tell-tale looks and sweet, sultry voice, Dolly Parton has been a country and western icon for more than half a century. The legendary singer has sold more than 100 million records and enjoyed a successful movie career. However, less well-known is Dolly’s philanthropy. Since the mid1980s, this icon of country music has supported many charities through her Dollywood Foundation – particularly in areas of literacy. One of the main projects is the Rotary-supported Dolly Parton Imagination Library, for which the inspiration came from her father, Lee. “My daddy was the smartest man I have ever known,” she said. “But he could not read or write. Early on, I decided if I were ever in a position to do something good for kids, it would be to make sure they could read. “I am not a person to tell people what they should do, so I thought if we could do something that inspired kids to love books and to love reading, then maybe we could make a difference. “After a year or so of figuring it out, we created the Imagination Library.” Dolly set up the first Imagination Library in 1995 in her home town in Sevier County, Tennessee. Since then, The Dollywood Foundation has sent over 100 million free

books to children worldwide, with more than 1.3 million posted in the UK. The Imagination Library is a free book-giving initiative devoted to inspiring a love of reading for young children everywhere.

Every child enrolled in the Imagination Library receives a book personally addressed to them in the post every month until their fifth birthday. All of the titles in the Imagination Library are published by Penguin Random House and carefully selected by a panel of experts in early childhood literacy and reading. A child enrolled from birth to their fifth birthday will build their own home library of up to 60 books and the programme is completely free for children and their families. In June 2014, Dolly handed over her one millionth book to a UK child. “Every time a child comes up to me and says ‘Thank you for the books’, I say, I love being known as The Book Lady!”. For Rotary, this has been a perfect project working alongside Helen Hastle, who is the Regional Director of The Dollywood Foundation UK. With access to local schools, councils and youth services, alongside dynamic and hard-working members, Rotary clubs have been able to deliver and successfully run Imagination Libraries across the UK. The driving force of the Rotary effort has been Rolf Sperr from the Rotary Club Cleethorpes, who has been instrumental in setting up five branches alone. Dolly, incidentally, is an Honorary Member of the Lincolnshire club. Rolf, who has been a Rotarian since 1990, says “There is a big difference between the children who get the books and children

who do not get the books by the time they start primary school.” Rolf has worked closely with Leonard Gelblum from the Rotary Club of Nottingham – a project which coincided with the Midlands club’s centenary. “The Rotary Club of Nottingham is one of the oldest clubs in the country,” explained Leonard. “It was about to enter its 100th year of operation. “We had a talk from the Dolly Parton Foundation who spoke about a library to the club which ticked a big box for us because literacy in Rotary is a major project. At the same time, we discovered the importance of early intervention in education - if you can get hold of kids before they are four or five-years-old then you can lay the foundations of education.” The Nottingham Imagination Library now has over 3,781 children registered and shipped over 89,000 books since starting five years ago.

As a result, Nottinghamshire City Council has produced a website called www.dollybooksnottingham.org with a voice message from the country and western star. Dolly Parton knows that the value of Rotary to the project is immense. “To make all of this work successfully, we have to have partners,” she explained. “No matter how clever our idea is, it takes our local sponsors to make this dream a reality for the children. “Since day one, local Rotary clubs expressed an interest in what we are doing.

However, we did not go big time until I was invited to speak at the Rotary International Convention in Montreal. "We created an international partnership that day which continues to grow over the years. “Rotary is so strong. I don’t think you need much advice or inspiration from me. You have always dreamed big and have done so much good for so long. I can only say ‘thank you’ and tell you that it is always an honour to work together.” But Dolly is dreaming big. When asked about her vision for the

libraries in ten years, she said: “Our hope is for 2.5 million children to be enrolled and receiving a book each month. It’s a big dream, but I am a mighty big dreamer!”

Dolly Parton Imagination Library Team July 2020 - Rotary Club of Cleethorpes For more information: www.cleethorpesrotary.org and http://uk.imaginationlibrary.com/