PTTREaD, Black and Yellow

Artwork for 2021 Conference

Conference Theme: Enhancing Early Literacy by Embracing Cultural Diversity.

We are thrilled to share with you, the amazing artwork from Shareen Clayton, for our 8th National Conference 20 – 21 May 2021. (Easy dates for you to remember!)

In Shareen’s words: The artwork represents family and community.
So the centre shows mum, dad and bub having quality family time out in the sun reading a book.
The middle represents being surrounded and supported by the extended family and the outer part represents local communities working together to support and engage local families.

Paint the Town REaD and Paint the Town REaD, Black and Yellow ‘in a nutshell.’

Keep an eye out for the Registrations opening soon!

NAIDOC Week 2020 – Always Was, Always Will Be

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations as the first people of Australia.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
We honour their cultural, spiritual and emotional connection to their traditional Country.
We thank our Aboriginal Elders and colleagues who graciously, patiently and with humour lead us in Paint the Town REaD, Black and Yellow

Grounded In Truth

Grounded in Truth – Walk Together with Courage.

The theme for this year’s Reconciliation Week resonates through us here at PTTR as we remember with gratitude the wise, beautiful and heartfelt Welcomes to Country that we have received from Aboriginal Elders as we travelled on the Paint Australia REaD Book Relay from Perth to the Pacific, these last couple of months. From Auntie Marie in Noongar Country to Aunty Lorraine in Dharawal Country, and the many Elders in between, we have been blessed by your truth and your courage. Thank you so much.

Two New PTTR Communities

54 days of the Paint Australia REaD Book Relay have passed in a whirl of excitement and invitation, children’s delighted faces as they enjoy reading together and meeting new communities keen to work together to give their children a better start in life .

This week, the Relay team was present for the hatching of two new mascots…two new communities that have chosen to take the Paint the Town REaD pathway to increase the literacy levels amongst their children. Welcome Dhinawan the Emu for Lightning Ridge NSW, and Gracie Guy-a-wan the Shark for Taree NSW. Both mascots have been chosen by local Elders. As totems of Gamileroi and Biripi nations respectively, these mascots will be front and central, in supporting children to be introduced to the love of reading from birth.

Dhinawan, the baby emu hatches at an early morning community gathering in Lightning Ridge this week.

Children’s Week 2018 Celebrations

Across Australia, PTTR communities celebrated Children’s Week including hatchings of new mascots in Armadale, Gosnells, Rockingham (WA), Gin Gin, Childers and Bundaberg (Qld), birthday parties for mascots (Shoalhaven NSW) and the honouring of Vivi Martin in NSW as Summer Hill’s Granny of the Year, especially for her work with heading up Paint Marrickville REaD. http://www.localnewsplus.com.au/article.php?st_story_ID=141222&ratio=Landscape

Getting Rooby REaDy for NAIDOC Week 2017

Rooby Roo in her new vest with the young Aboriginal artists from North St Marys Public School, with Auntie Maureen Silleri and Maryanne Wallace.

Under the support of local Elders including Auntie Maureen Silleri and their Aboriginal Support teacher, Maryanne Wallace a mob of enthusiastic Aboriginal students at North St Marys Public School NSW, drew special pictures about what reading with Rooby Roo (the Paint Penrith REaD mascot) meant to them.

These images were then transferred onto Rooby’s vest with help of Frances Zammit from Community Junction Ins. The students gave Rooby a very  big surprise last week when they presented her with the vest. ‘We want you to wear it for NAIDOC Week this year’.

 

National Sorry Day 2017

With National Sorry Day 2017, we at Paint the Town REaD want to say sorry. We stand with our wonderful Aboriginal Elders, colleagues and friends and want to work together to close the early literacy gap for our Aboriginal kids, made worse by the intergenerational trauma from the Stolen Generations.

2017 Conference Panel members led by Aunty Jacinta Tobin, Aunty Maureen Silleri and Jackie Stewart listening to Tracey Kirk Downey as she spoke about the powerful and life changing impact of working with Cullunghutti Child and Family Centre Elders, staff and families.

Last Days to register for the Conference amidst a busy month, where we welcomed Paint Shoalhaven REaD

With our 6th National Conference on next week, you only have a few days to go to register. So use the links to the right, to take you straight to the registration page!

And whilst everyone is preparing for the Conference, the Aboriginal Elders in Shoalhaven NSW have been busy giving their mascot egg to the children, supported by  Mayor Amanda Findley. Children in Moree NSW are also reading with their egg and Parker Pelican in the Parks and Gardens in Adelaide has celebrated his first birthday, with a huge party of about 400 people, where there was lots of singing and families reading together in the local community park.

Elders leading reading at Paint Shoalhaven, REaD, Black and Yellow

Reading Bug brings Magic to Moree

Paint the Town REAd’s Reading Bug has had a busy time in Moree. She brought a magical mascot egg to the children in Moree East’s Playgroup, delivered the first book for the Books for Newborn Bubs in Moree Hospital and received a very generous cheque from the Commonwealth Bank to keep reading with children from birth in Moree.

Read more about it at  https://goo.gl/SjcX7V

p1140229 commonwealth-bank-photo egg-arrial-in-moree

Paint D’Bay REaD launches!

Paint D’Bay REaD launched in March with the arrival of the magical black egg. Queensland Minister for Science and Innovation, Leeanne Enoch, was the first to read to the egg, followed by the Chris Whiting, MP for Murrumba and then various other dignitaries, including the children!

Paint D’Day REaD is a partnership led by local residents, including the Aboriginal community Elders and families and workers,  Queensland’s First Five Forever and Communities for Children workers.

We can’t wait to see what will hatch out of the egg!Deception Bay Launch

Paint the Town REaD logo Paint the Town REaD ladybird Book Paint the Town REaD Ladybird body back Ladybird body front