28th January 2025 – In a world cluttered with digital distractions, Polly Atkinson, the Founder of Children Reading for Life, will be orchestrating storytelling sessions at schools and centres across West Sussex including the Learning Tree Pre-school in Arundel and Heene Primary School in Worthing engaging 3- and 4-year-olds with interactive stories using picture books and props.
Polly also regularly volunteers at The Aldingbourne Trust – a centre for those with learning disabilities or autism and a place where stories become a bridge of connection and understanding for those with learning needs. As part of National Storytelling Week, Polly will be encouraging a group of adults to express their own thoughts and feelings through wordless picture stories (published by Beyond Words). The group meets every two weeks for ‘Polly’s Picture Stories’ developing communication skills through stories in a safe and nurturing environment.
What is national storytelling week?
“National Storytelling Week is not merely an event; it is an impassioned call for the timeless tradition of storytelling—a force that teaches, inspires, and nurtures critical literacy skills” comments Polly Atkinson. “In a theme titled “Reimagine Your World,” National Storytelling Week 2025 challenges us to discover the extraordinary within the ordinary. Whether it’s a peculiar encounter during a morning commute or the shared narrative of an exciting day, stories around us are waiting to explode into life”.
Polly’s Picture Stories – supported by Aldingbourne Trust
Clare Seaby, Lead Support Worker at Aldingbourne Trust comments: “’Polly’s Picture Stories’, has been a great success for the people supported by the Aldingbourne Trust, based at our country centre. By volunteering to run this, Polly’s has given the people we support a brilliant opportunity for readers and non-readers to have a shared experience and interpret their own stories from the pictures. This opens up group discussions and shared experiences and delivers valuable life skills which the whole group benefit from. The group always look forward to Polly’s Picture Stories and proudly wear their membership badges in anticipation. Debsy said it has given her confidence to chat more with friends. Hannah really loves the stories and likes naming the characters. Sam said that it helps her to chat through experiences, and she gets support from her friends.
The membership numbers have grown and we are all extremely grateful to Polly for giving her time to run this group”.
Empowering carers to foster a love of reading
With years of experience in education and a passion for reading and storytelling, Polly has dedicated her efforts to creating programs that support families in enriching their children’s reading experiences. Through one-to-one tutoring and workshops, Children Reading for Life empowers parents and adults to foster a deep-rooted love of reading in children standing on the belief that reading is an unparalleled gift—a cornerstone for future success—a gift meant to be shared within the family and beyond.
Through strategic group sessions and one-to-one engagements, Children Reading for Life arms parents, carers, and grandparents with the arsenal needed to escort their children into the vibrant world of stories helping them become more confident readers.
More about Polly
Polly Atkinson set up Children Reading for Life in 2024 with the sole aim to help foster a culture of reading within families and communities. Its mission is to equip parents, carers, and educators with the strategies and tools necessary to nurture a lifelong love of reading in children, ultimately enhancing their literacy skills and overall development. Polly has engaged in fascinating discussions with notable authors such as Stephen Fry, Lemn Sissay, and SF Said, among others.
