Another day, another policy change

Thankfully this Government have listened to the public and leading authors, and have said they will continue to fund Booktrust.  In a statement on Booktrust's website they say, ''The Department for Education and Booktrust are determined to ensure that reading for pleasure is a gift every child can enjoy. That is why the DFE will continue to fund Booktrust book-gifting programmes in the future.'  Quite right too!

What will the Government change their minds about next?

Merry Christmas

Just a short post to wish everyone a peaceful Christmas. 

Bye bye Bookstart

I was so sad to read that this Tory Government withdrawal of funding is going to end Bookstart.  You can read the article here.  All children should be able to benefit from the delights of books from the first few months of their lives and Bookstart was an excellent way to ensure all children had the opportunity.  My eldest son thoroughly enjoyed his free books and now it's seems his baby brother may not be as fortunate.  My boys are lucky to have a house full of books but many other children are not in this position - just another attack on the less privileged and the very children who need the encouragement Bookstart provided.

Follow the snow code

Well the snows arrived.  At 5am there was nothing (the joys of a small baby mean you get to see 5am) and by 10am it was a good 5cms thick.  Already the 'clear your path and be sued' rumours are doing the rounds which are fundamentally untrue.  The snow code gives clear advice on what to do - just be sensible and don't clear a frozen pavement with hot water which will freeze creating an ice rink. If I can find the spade under the snow I'll clear the path outside our house.

Other than a trip to the path, we are staying in.  We use cloth nappies so they won't run out, have enough food to last until Tuesday at the least and we can always walk to the shops if needs be.  We bought a sledge so can slide the shopping home on that.

Not everyone has a home in this cold weather though.  If you or any member of the public find someone sleeping rough in Reading and would like advice or information, please call St Mungo’s on (0118) 958 5002 or email readingspot@mungos.org

Stay safe!

Is snow on the way?

I Tweet and follow lots of interesting people and organisations, one being the Met Office. This morning they Tweeted a Flash Weather Warning for heavy snow - a 60% chance of disruption in Reading.  Bother.
Before last year I would have been overjoyed.  To me snow was fun, time off work and pretty.  Now I just see it as a dangerous and disruptive nuisance.  But because of last year I have decided to get prepared and have rock salt at the ready, a sledge to go shopping with and, if Royal Mail get it to me, a snow shovel.
I have seen the councils winter weather plans and gritting routes and they seem very good.  The gritters were out before our recent snow shower and I hope they will be out today.  Let's hope the Met Office are wrong and it doesn't happen.