Today, the Bookseller’s Association has announced the successful applicants for their latest tranche of the Diversity and Inclusiveness Grant launched in 2018.
After months of anxiously awaiting to hear if we were successful, we have found out that we were! So now we can tell you all about our plans, including the catalyst behind it.
As you may know, Mrs Claus visits us once a year, to give out free gifts to children who are in town for the Brentwood Light Up. It’s a really special time and one that we absolutely love. However, for children with sensory needs, the experience can be rather overwhelming, which is why we provided a sensory friendly grotto for children in 2018. Because the event was very well received, it will become a permanent fixture in our annual calendar.
The grotto got us thinking about what else we could do to support families with sensory needs. We wanted to provide a regular story-time session, with a resource lending library available. But, to get it right, in terms of adapting our space, creating the perfect loan resources and ensuring that the storyteller has the perfect books, songs etc. takes money…enter the brilliant BA Diversity and Inclusiveness Grant.
Ta da!
Here’s a quick run down of our plans:
- The sessions will run once a month in the first instance.
- Places will be booked in advance, so that the space doesn’t become over crowded.
- Families can borrow story bags (for a refundable deposit).
- A social story will be emailed to families, introducing the space and storyteller.
- A schedule of focus stories will be made available, so that families can pick and choose sessions to suit their child/ren.
As soon as we are ready to rock and roll, we’ll let you know. You may need to give us a month or so, to gather resources – we are super excited and hope that you are too.
In the meantime, if you have any questions at all, let us know.
Chicken and Frog Bookshop 
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