Celebration as staff and volunteers receive best practice awards

Article dated Friday Nov 10, 2023 at 08:20 AM

The hard work of staff and volunteers in Bradford libraries, toddler groups and childcare settings was celebrated at an event at the Libraries Rhyme Challenge Awards at Bradford City Hall this week.

Bradford Council’s Libraries Service challenged children in over 240 childcare and library settings in the district to take part in the Rhyme Challenge which sees children under five learning five rhymes with their family.

Over 5,000 children and parent/carers in the Bradford district successfully completed the Rhyme Challenge which took place from September 2022 to April 2023.

Feedback from this year’s challenge shows parents felt that taking part has helped to increase their child’s speech and language development. Staff and volunteers who oversaw this year’s challenge in childcare, toddler groups and library settings felt it was really beneficial to the families that they work with.

A panel of early years and libraries professionals assessed the nominations and winners were announced at the ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Gerry Barker on Tuesday 7 November.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “I am delighted that staff and volunteers alike can be celebrated for all the hard work and efforts they put into the Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge. The challenge is a great way to encourage families and groups to have fun whilst helping to support their child’s speech and language development, a pre-cursor for reading achievements. My congratulations to all nominees, runners up and winners.”

The five award categories, nominations and winners are:

Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Individual Award

Nominated

  • Annette Wilson - Play and Learn Development Lead, Early Years Alliance
  • Penny Brennan - Early Years Lead, Early Years Alliance
  • Liz Kay - Liz Kay Illustration

Winner

  • Penny Brennan – Early Years Lead, Early Years Alliance

Runner Up

  • Annette Wilson – Play and Learn Development Lead, Early Years Alliance

Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Library Award

Nominated

  • Burley Library
  • City Library
  • Eccleshill Library
  • Heaton Hub Library
  • Keighley Library
  • Manningham Library
  • Menston Library
  • Shipley Library
  • Thornbury Library
  • Thornton Library
  • Wyke Library

Winner

  • Eccleshill Library

Runner Up

  • Thornton Library

Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Voluntary Sector Award

Nominated

  • Dixons Marchbank Stay & Play
  • Fountains Church Stay & Play

Winner

  • Dixons Marchbank Stay & Play

Runner Up

  • Fountains Church Stay & Play

Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Childcare Setting Award

Nominated:

  • Alison Mazacs
  • Appleton Academy
  • Ashfield Private Day Nursery – Stuart Close
  • Ashfield Private Day Nursery – Norman Lane
  • Ben Rhydding Pre-School
  • Byron Primary School
  • Dracup Lodge Nursery
  • Dradishaw Private Day Nursery
  • Fearnley Private Day Nursery
  • Feversham Primary
  • Hirstwood Primary
  • Lilycroft Nursery School
  • Miriam Lord Primary
  • Peel Park Primary
  • St Joseph’s Primary Keighley
  • St Matthew’s CE Primary
  • St Paul’s Primary
  • Tadpoles Nursery
  • Thornbury Primary
  • Tiny Stars Nursery
  • University of Bradford Nursery
  • Victoria Primary School
  • Worth Valley Primary
  • Wyke Children’s Centre

Winner

  • Victoria Primary School

Runner Up

  • Lilycroft Nursery School

Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Special Award

Special nomination and winner – Early Years Alliance Staff, Penny Brennan, Heather Robertson, Fiona Stocks, Hope McNee.

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