Bali Rai celebrates the Six Book Challenge scheme in Doncaster

Bali Rai visited Doncaster College to celebrate the Six Book Challenge at Doncaster college. If your MyVoice library, or college, would be interested in running the challenge, please be in touch.

When you consider all of the bad news about reading, literacy and libraries over the past few years, it was a real pleasure to help celebrate the positive effect of the Six Book Challenge scheme in Doncaster the other week.

Doncaster College, one of many institutions to have taken up the challenge, won an author visit through The Reading Agency. This was in recognition of the fact that the staff and students got involved in great numbers and thoroughly enjoyed the scheme. So, with severe backache (the precursor to a serious bout of flu from which I'm still suffering) I set off up the M1 from Leicester, happy to be taking part.

Literacy programmes in Doncaster have been badly dented with the closure of many of their public libraries, not to mention the threat of further cuts to come. Many of us who support libraries hold the city up as an example of how NOT to do things. This is obviously not the fault of the population but the ruling council and the Mayor. Indeed, it was wonderful to meet so many ordinary "Donny" folk, who proved what a short sighted and silly thing it is, to do away with libraries and other literacy projects.

From the moment I was reacquainted with Carol, their wonderful librarian, I was taken by the emphasis that everyone at Doncaster College places on books and reading. Their amazing library, spread across many floors, was light and airy despite being jam packed with books. It was also incredibly busy, with very few empty corners. The pupils were happy to talk to me about their reading, and the principal beamed, as we spoke about the need for a great library at the heart of every school and college. That culture of understanding literacy and taking the right steps to improve it, shone out on the day.

Many of the students who responded to the Six Book Challenge were those for whom English is a second language. The massive benefits to them of actually sitting and enjoying books are worthwhile on any scale of measurement. From improving their grasp of English, to helping them to contribute to the future success of the UK, the challenge proves that a little emphasis on literacy goes a very long way. The same is true of the wider student population at the college too. Each of the students who participated felt the benefits and will glean the rewards. The college itself will see better results - that is a given - because the more you read, the more you succeed.

So, it was great to be able to congratulate the college on their success in last year's challenge, and to encourage a new intake of students to get involved for 2012. The author event itself went fantastically well, sandwiched as it was between inspiring talks from both the college principal, and Genevieve Clarke, the person who helps to run the project for The Reading Agency. I got to speak at length about my passion for reading and about how libraries and books made me the person I am today. I also told them how much I supported the project and all the great work that they'd done during the challenge. It seemed to go down very well - well, there were no catcalls or booing anyway!

After the event, the college laid on food and drinks and the adults got a chance to mingle with the students. I was particularly taken by the enthusiasm for both the project and reading in general. Most of the students were very positive about the challenge, and a few even suggested books for me to read - something that is always welcome. All in all, it was a wonderful day, and I'm very grateful at being asked to join in.

Since its inception in 2008, The Reading Agency tells us that nearly forty thousand people have registered for the Six Book Challenge. That is a great uptake but it would be awesome to see that number double or treble for 2012 and beyond. If you're reading this and thinking about joining in, don't hesitate. If your school or college aren't involved, demand that they get involved. The Six Book Challenge is a fantastic project, as the experience of Doncaster College shows. So, get involved, get reading and have a great time. You owe it to yourselves and your future.

www.balirai.co.uk