General

Thank you Your Excellency Linda Hurley for being our Patron for the past 5 years.

You have been absolutely amazing. Whether online, in a movie or in person your generosity of spirit, time and enthusiasm has been incalculable. 

From when you invited the PTTR Board to Afternoon Tea at Admiralty House in Dec 2019, then reached out to us in COVID online numerous times, wrote and recorded the Paint the Town REaD song, launched our REaD with Me at Home COVID Campaign online, ‘visited’ Wattle Grove Early Childhood Centre after the children sent you a recording of them singing your song, through to opening our 2021 Conference in Bankstown and then our 2023 Conference in Parkes, you have been there for us! And finally the wonderful Morning Tea at Admiralty House in December, 2023 celebrating PTTR reaching 100+ communities.

Thank you too for involving your wonderful husband, our then Governor General. His presence and quiet humour really added to those events.

Now more than ever

It was so fitting that during Reconciliation Week, we received a copy of The Ninti Way, a bilingual children’s book in Pitjantjatjara and English. This book was produced by the APY Lands’ Paint the Lands REaD, Black and Yellow. It tells the story of Papa the Dog from Fregon, as he takes a journey across Anangu Lands visiting tjitji tjuta (children) and their families with their Paint the Lands REaD, Black and Yellow mascots.

Now more than ever, PTTR communities are collaborating with local Elders to create bilingual books. The Ninti Way is PTTR’s 2nd bilingual book in Aboriginal Language and English. More are to come. We shall keep you posted.

To celebrate 10 years of PTTR in WA, the WA Governor, His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson, and Mrs Dawson, invited representatives from WA’s PTTR communities and supporters to morning tea at Government House on Thursday 4 April.

It was so very special to have funders, members of Parliament (Local, State and Federal), from both sides of the house present and early childhood peak WA representatives celebrate with us.

WA’s PTTR mascots stole the show, led by Red, the Super Reading Roo from Paint the Swan REaD, where we began in WA in ten years ago.

This was followed by a lunch at WA State Parliament, hosted by Mark Folkard, MLA, member for Burns Beach. Thank you Mark.

Thank you Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal for a grant to commence the rollout of Books for Bedtime in regional and rural South Australia, following a successful pilot in Victoria funded by the Readings Foundation.

We received many anecdotal stories that emerged from COVID lockdowns about increased stress on families which lead to a decline in family routines, bedtime reading, access to children’s books and devices replacing books.
This project will give parents the knowledge and resources they need to help reinstitute reading together at home or strengthen their existing practices.
It will deliver professional learning to early childhood educators about the importance of reading, starting book libraries in services, a starter kit containing information for families, flyers, and other promotional material to help parents understand the importance of reading to their child from birth every day.

Our Patron, Her Excellency Mrs Hurley, invited us to Admiralty House yesterday to celebrate 100+ PTTR communities established across Australia, in every State – from remote Aboriginal to multicultural urban.

Families, mascots, supporters joined their Excellencies for a morning of fun!

PTTR’s ‘Advent Calendar’ this year comes with a twist. On our facebook page, we’re following our 25 years, beginning with 1998.

It’s not too late to follow with us. Today we are showcasing 2009, so here’s a hint of what you’ll be finding.

Last week we were thrilled to join the South Australia Catholic Education SPICE program for the launch of their PTTR initiative – Paint Playgroups REaD, under the leadership of Emily Bowden.

All South Australia Catholic Education supported playgroups now have a Book Swap box for families to take books home, and the facilitators have received training in the power and importance of early brain development.

Paint the Lands REaD, Black and Yellow at Mimili

In November 2022, young children from across the Anangu Lands in South Australia – also known as the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands) – gathered together at Mimili to celebrate their year of daily reading, singing and dancing as part of “Paint the Lands REaD, Black and Yellow”. Mimili is the 100th PTTR community.

What a celebration that is for PTTR and what a wonderful way to end the year!

Watch some of the celebrations at Mimili here!

Today Paint Penrith REaD launched a new book for babies: Rooby’s Counting Book. The event, like so many PTTR events across Australia, epitomised everything that is important about PTTR.

• A collaborative partnership — between Mission Australia, Penrith City Council, a local business Featherdale Wildlife Park, and a local graphic designer, to name just a few.
• Senior managers committed to supporting grass roots workers and volunteers getting the message about REaD from Birth out into the community.
• Whole families invited. All activities reading, singing, drawing, looking at animals, focused around children.
• Children loving their PTTR mascot — Rooby Roo — and knowing what Rooby loves to do best of all — reading.
• Sustainability: being there for the long haul. In Penrith’s case, now over 10 years.
• A clear message: ‘Spread the word. Reading is important from Day 1!’

Rooby Roo has a special message for children who read and sing everyday. Well done! You are growing your brain. A big thank you to all family members who make time to read and sing with little ones. You are making a big difference in their lives.

From Noongar lands to Dharawal sands

From Dharumbal seas to a Palawa breeze

We Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders this NAIDOC Week – and always.