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Footballers sign to Reading Stars club
18 Mar 2010
Lukas Jutkiewicz of Motherwell FC and Tomas Cerny of Hamilton Academical joined Skills Minister Keith Brown to launch the second year of the SPL Reading Stars literacy project in Easterhouse today.
SPL Reading Stars is endorsed by 12 clubs and 12 volunteer players. Each player attends learning sessions at libraries near their club and has chosen their favourite adult and children’s book for their libraries to receive. In total, 21 partner libraries will carry out targeted literacy work with children and adults from their local community. Schools throughout Scotland will have the opportunity to engage with the initiative.
Of the 200 adults that took part in last year’s programme 91 per cent said they read more as a family after taking part and 100 per cent felt their child was reading more.
Skills Minister Keith Brown said:
“The Scottish Government is committed to improving literacy and numeracy skills in Scotland. Last year’s SPL Reading Stars was a great success which is why we have committed £70,000 to enable this year’s programme to go ahead. The support and dedication from both the programme tutors and football players is greatly appreciated.”
Neil Doncaster SPL Chief Executive said:
“Building on last season’s success, I am delighted to announce a second year of SPL Reading Stars. This innovative partnership uses SPL footballers as positive role models to capture the imagination of families up and down the country, and get the message across that reading is an important and valuable skill.”
Damien Yeates, Chief Executive, Skills development Scotland, said:
“SPL Reading Stars is a great way of championing literacy skills and encouraging people to pick up books. The thought of getting help with reading, writing and numbers can be daunting for many people. But it’s not like going back to school. It can be fun and relaxed and take place in familiar surroundings.
“The Big Plus plays a key role in tackling literacy and numeracy levels and the associated stigma, in Scotland. If we improve literacy levels we can dramatically boost chances for individuals across the country as well as benefitting the economy.”
Independent charity, the National Literacy Trust delivers the project. Director Jonathan Douglas said:
“Literacy is the foundation of a successful skills-based economy but in the UK today one in six people struggle with literacy. Initiatives such as Scottish Premier League Reading Stars are an excellent way to address the issue. By encouraging people to engage with reading and literacy in exciting ways, we have discovered that youngsters and adults alike enjoy reading more and improve their skills.
“By tapping into football fans’ undying passion for their team, the National Literacy Trust is working to ensure everyone has the literacy skills they need to fulfil their potential in life.”
Last year 2,800 schools benefited from the programme, receiving SPL Reading Stars campaign packs.
Background
This is the second year the project, which is part of The Big Plus campaign and an extension to the Premier League Reading Stars, has been funded by the Scottish Government to improve literacy skills across Scotland. The project is being delivered by the National Literacy Trust, in partnership with Learning Connections, the SPL and the Scottish Library and Information Council. Premier League Reading Stars is an original project that began in 2003 and is a partnership between the Premier League, Football Foundation and the National Literacy Trust.
The SPL READING STARS AND THEIR BOOK CHOICES
Aberdeen FC (Richard Foster)
The Green Mile (Stephen King) & Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (JK Rowling)
Celtic FC (Shaun Maloney)
It's Not About the Bike (Lance Armstrong) & Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger)
Dundee United FC (Sean Dillon)
The Van (Roddy Doyle) & Big Friendly Giant (Roald Dahl)
Falkirk FC (Tam Scobie)
Roy Keane: The Autobiography (Roy Keane) /Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Hamilton Academical FC (Tomas Cerny)
The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) & Way of the Peaceful Warrior (Dan Millman)
Hibernian FC (Graham Stack)
Blessed: The Autobiography (George Best) & The Three Little Pigs (Ladybird Early Reading Books
Heart of Midlothian FC (Craig Thomson)
The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) & George’s Marvellous Medicine (Roald Dahl)
Kilmarnock FC (Allan Russell)
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (Kate Summerscale) & Fantastic Mr. Fox (Roald Dahl)
Motherwell FC (Lukas Jutkiewicz)
The Winter of Discontent (John Steinbeck) & The Giver (Lois Lowry)
Rangers FC (Andrew Little)
No Prior Experience (Graham Little) & Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (JK Rowling)
St Johnstone FC (Paul Sheerin)
To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) & The Gruffalo (Julia Donaldson)
St Mirren FC (Jack Ross)
Omerta (Mario Puzo) & Dear Max (Sally Grindley)
Supporting quotes:
Councillor Steven Curran, a board member of Culture and Sport Glasgow, said:
“Glasgow is a city with a proud footballing history and it is great to see players from our two SPL clubs, Celtic and Rangers, doing what they can to help improve literacy in our communities.
“Footballers are role models for many people and this project will see them use their influence to break down barriers to learning. They will be a real inspiration.
“Football is a universal language and I have no doubt that the SPL Reading Stars themselves will deliver winning results for all those taking part.”
Elaine Fulton, Director of the Scottish Library and Information Council, welcomed the launch of the second phase of SPL Reading Stars.
“This is an exciting initiative which brings together sports and new readers in an effort to improve skills in Scotland. Libraries can offer huge opportunities for people to read for pleasure and to learn in relaxed, friendly and comfortable surroundings. Library staff are always on hand to help people find books and information to help them enjoy and get the best out of life.”
