Public service workers shine in Christmas video

From bin men and firefighters to police officers and midwives, public service workers have come together in a festively feel-good video to celebrate the Tameside Loves Reading campaign.

The video, which you can watch above, features school children and frontline workers reading The Night Before Christmas poem – highlighting how anyone, any age, can enjoy reading for pleasure.

Among the highlights of the video are midwives with new-born babies at Tameside Hospital, careworkers reading with their older clients, roadsweepers, gritter drivers and pupils from St Peter’s CE and St James’ CE primary schools in Ashton and Pinfold Primary School in Hattersley.

It also features reading volunteers who have been working with pupils in schools as part of the Tameside Loves Reading Campaign.

And, of course, a video based on The Night Before Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a special appearance from St Nick himself.

The Tameside Loves Reading campaign, launched in February 2019, aims to improve literacy levels in children, helping them to achieve better in school and life.

To date, it has involved over 180 volunteers reading with children in 46 schools – the volunteers have included council and NHS staff, governors, Ashton Sixth Form students and staff from local businesses including Robertsons.

More than 2,500 books have also been given to new parents of babies born at Tameside Hospital to encourage all parents and carers to read with their children every day.

The campaign is already having an impact – Tameside children’s progress in reading at the end of Key Stage 2 was significantly above average at 0.5, as opposed to 0.0 (which is average) the previous year.

Tameside Council Executive Leader Cllr Brenda Warrington, who reads the opening line of the poem in the video, said: “This is such a lovely and fun way to celebrate the success of the Tameside Loves Reading campaign so far, recruit more reading volunteers and encourage more parents to enjoy reading with their children.

“It is also a very heart-warming reflection of the work of our staff and partners - and of our integrated approach - to improve people’s lives. I hope it leaves everyone feeling at least a little bit of the huge amount of Christmas spirit and community spirit we have here in Tameside.”

To find out more about the Tameside Loves Reading campaign and becoming a reading volunteer, visit www.tameside.gov.uk/tamesidelovesreading.