ST. Colm’s High School in Twinbrook is the latest recipient of a Phoenix Community Fund grant, enabling them to launch the Bookbuzz initiative in their school.
The Bookbuzz reading programme from BookTrust helps schools inspire a love of reading in 11 to 13-year-olds, by giving them the opportunity to choose their own book to take home and keep from a list of 17 titles.
Every book is carefully selected by a panel of experts to ensure quality, suitability and to encourage reading for pleasure, especially for those more reluctant readers.
Adrian Walsh, Principal at St. Colm’s was delighted at the range of books received by the school.
“At St. Colm’s we place a great emphasis on reading for pleasure. We recently converted one of our storage rooms into a wonderful library space where the pupils can come and select a book from a range of titles and genres," he said.
"Thanks to Phoenix Natural Gas, having the new Bookbuzz books will inspire the pupils to use the library and hopefully further their love of reading, especially for the more reluctant readers.”
Rebecca Dalzell, Communications Manager at Phoenix Natural Gas said: “Providing tangible support to the communities that we operate in has been a central theme of our business approach over the last 26 years and we’re delighted that the junior pupils of St. Colm’s High School will be able to benefit from their wonderful new BookBuzz books.”
Chris Eisenstadt, Director of BookTrust Northern Ireland added: “At BookTrust we believe all children should be able to reap the life changing benefits that reading brings.
"Sharing stories and reading from an early age is the best possible way to lay the foundation for an ongoing reading habit that can support the potential of children and give them the best start in life.
"Thanks to this support from the Phoenix Natural Gas Community Fund we’ve been able to provide St Colm’s High School with over 150 carefully chosen books for their year 8s to take home and keep.”
The Phoenix Community Fund welcomes applications from community groups and organisations big and small across the Phoenix Natural Gas licence area that are working to reduce social isolation, remove barriers to inclusion and promote equality in their area.
For further information on the Phoenix Community Fund, click here.
