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Family festival wins prestigious library award

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A half-term family festival organised by Gloucestershire Libraries has won the annual David Vaisey Prize.

The award is designed to recognise and reward outstanding library initiatives countywide, which aim to improve literacy by encouraging more borrowing, reading and book discussions.

The winner of this year’s award is the Gloucestershire Family Festival, which is set to take place over five days during half-term next week.

This unique festival, themed 'Fairytales and Fantasy', will be held in various non-library venues across Matson, Hesters Way, Oakley, Cinderford and Dursley. Each festival day will feature a range of fun activities including theatre and music performances, arts and crafts, storytelling, science experiments and more.

This free festival aims to introduce the joy of reading and storytelling to children and families who don’t regularly engage with libraries.

The Family Festival is an Arts Council activity, not funded by the county council, that Gloucestershire Libraries have to find match funding for.

You can find out more and support the festival at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/gloucestershire-family-festival

Gloucestershire Libraries would also like to congratulate all the shortlisted finalists: Cinderford, Moreton-in-Marsh, and Chipping Campden libraries.

The David Vaisey Award ceremony took place at Cheltenham Literature Festival on Sunday 6 October.

This year is the first time that the awards have been expanded to include school libraries and reading initiatives. This year, Dene Magna School in Mitcheldean won an award for its projected programme which includes a reading buddies plan, where targeted pupils will be mentored by older students and will then themselves help to encourage primary school children. Congratulations to all the school library finalists: Gloucester Academy, The Shrubberies School in Stonehouse and Stratton Primary School in Cirencester.

The David Vaisey Trust also gave Young Persons Award 2024 awards to Oakley Interactive Space and Gloucester Library volunteers, to recognise their work with libraries.

Read more about the awards at https://davidvaiseyprize.co.uk/

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member for libraries at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “The Gloucestershire Family Festival is a fantastic initiative which aims to reach children and families who would not typically visit a library, by holding events in non-library venues like community centres, parks and schools. It promises to include a wide range of activities offering fun for all the family so I’d encourage people to find out more and take part.

“I’d like to congratulate all the shortlisted libraries, as well as school libraries, as they are all running great initiatives which are really helping to encourage people to read more books.”