Barbie Bates | Page 8 | Paint the Town REaD

6th National Conference – inspiring

By Barbie Bates | 18 May, 2017

Over 140 delegates (and mascots!) celebrated our 6th National Conference, Climb Every Mountain: Songlines and Singing. Aunty Carol Cooper and Aunty Jacinta Tobin welcomed us to Country, and set the scene for two days of learning, practical workshops and fun. The Blue Mountains three levels of Government were well represented by Cr Romola Hollywood, who welcomed delegates at a Civic Reception, Hon Susan Templeman, who opened the Conference with Aunty Carol and Aunt Jacinta, and Trish Doyle MP. who opened our Principals Forum. Thank you to our Keynote Speakers, Aunty Jacinta Tobin, Dr Marina Kalashnikova (Western Sydney University), Dr Amanda Howard (Newcastle University), and Kerry Dominish (CEO – Early Start) and the 30 workshop presenters. And our Conference Dinner wouldn’t have been so successful without the Blue Mountains Ukulele group and the generosity of Carrington’s Brewery!

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

By Barbie Bates | 26 April, 2017

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

Paint Marrickville REaD launches

By Barbie Bates | 13 March, 2017

Garanga Bumarri, a beautiful Pelican mascot, hatched last Friday, with the support of the local children, parents, midwives, police, firies and pollies.

Hon Linda Burney MP gives the pelican his name, supported by local children and health ‘delivery’ staff.

Reading Bug brings Magic to Moree

By Barbie Bates | 8 October, 2016

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

Queensland welcomes three new mascots

By Barbie Bates | 12 September, 2016

Bundaberg, South Cairns and Deception Bay are the homes for three new mascots who love being read to: two turtles and a kookaburra respectively.

Turtle mascot with support crew — Bundaberg turtle with a stunning egg

South Cairns turtle on stage — South Cairns turtle mascot

Kookaburra mascot with seated children at launch — Kookaburra mascot, Deception Bay

Paint the Swan REaD’s partnership with La Salle College

By Barbie Bates | 27 July, 2016

Through the creative genius of La Salle teacher, Danielle Calleja, and Paint the Swan Coordinator, Fiona Lee, students from La Salle College, wrote, designed and created children’s books, which they then read with children at a recent Paint the Swan REaD event.

Danielle then presented the outcomes of this project at the Australian Literacy Educators Conference in Adelaide recently.

La Salle College is a co-educational Catholic secondary school situated in the Swan Valley, Perth. The College caters for 1400 students in Years 7 – 12.

This is a terrific example of how High School students can support the early literacy development of young children in their community.

It takes a village to raise a child.

La Salle Students with Red the Reading Mascot

Paint Admiralty House REaD

By Barbie Bates | 26 May, 2016

Lady Cosgrove our Patron very generously opened Admiralty House to close to 100 supporters of Paint the Town REaD for a Reception on Monday night 9th May.

Lady Cosgrove spoke of her passion for reading with children from birth, and gave examples from her own life.

Lady Cosgrove and PTTR Board members with the Reading Bug.

Paint D’Bay REaD launches!

By Barbie Bates | 6 April, 2016

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!

Congratulations Paint Penrith REaD and Paint the Blue REaD

By Barbie Bates | 25 February, 2016

The 2016 ZEST Awards saw Paint Penrith REaD’s community champion, Graham Fitzpatrick, and Paint the Blue REaD’s 2015 REaDing Week, nominated for awards. Although they were not winners this year, Rooby Roo, the mascot from Penrith, still managed to steal the show!

Congratulations, Graham, for the amazing work you do for Paint Penrith REaD, promoting Rooby and her message in Penrith through Vintage FM, raising funds, holding business events and including Rooby in just about everything you do. And congratulations to the Blue Mountains team, led by Judith Hawkes from MOCS, for staging a 2015 Reading Week, delivering 15 events in 8 villages , coordinating 37 agencies and businesses to reach nearly 300 children.

Paint Penrith REaD's Community Champion, Graham Fitzpatrick, flanked at the ZEST Awards by Julieanne Woods and Rooby Roo.

Paint Penrith REaD’s Community Champion, Graham Fitzpatrick, flanked at the ZEST Awards by Rooby Roo and Julieanne Woods.

Paint Shellharbour REaD launches!

By Barbie Bates | 15 February, 2016

Paint Shellharbour REaD launched today with two great events.

At the Mayoral Breakfast community leaders donated their favourite children’s books.

At the Children’s Launch, local children enthusiastically created leaves to add to a tree, so that it would grow strong and inviting for their mascot to live in.

For more photos of the Launches see Paint Shellharbour REaD’s Facebook page. http://on.fb.me/1TkCifd

Children listen to Shellharbour Mayor reading to them

The Mayor of Shellharbour, Cr Marianne Saliba, reads her favourite book to the children.