The National Literacy Trust in Nottingham

The National Literacy Trust in Nottingham has been casting magic at one of the city’s most prestigious landmarks, Nottingham Castle, with an event dedicated to discovering and sharing stories as a family. Hundreds of local families attended the Castle Story Builders event, which took place on Saturday 7 February and was opened by Professor Veronica Pickering MBS HAC, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire. Attendees enjoyed storytelling with the legendary Robin Hood and local author Jonathan Emmett, and took part in activities to boost their children’s literacy skills and spark a love of reading and stories. The event was the charity’s first in Nottingham in the National Year of Reading, which seeks to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment among UK children, young people and adults. In the East Midlands, National Literacy Trust research shows that just one in three (32.4%) 8- to 18-year-olds said they enjoy reading in their spare time. Castle Story Builders was enthusiastically supported by the National Literacy Trust in Nottingham’s team of Literacy Champion volunteers. Alongside a range of local partners, they engaged children in exciting activities including creating an outlaw character, building a model castle and solving riddles in the Sheriff of Nottingham’s puzzle corner. Families were also gifted books to enjoy together at home

 Find out more about the National Literacy Trust here