Tags: BookTrust

iHV attends BookTrust’s centenary reception hosted by The Queen

Yesterday evening, Alison Morton, iHV CEO, attended BookTrust’s reception hosted by Her Majesty The Queen at Clarence House. The reception marked BookTrust’s centenary and also featured the launch of an exclusive Peter Rabbit book which will be given to babies as part of the charity’s Bookstart Baby programme which introduces every baby to the joy of books and reading.

Alison Morton, iHV CEO, with Peter Rabbit at the BookTrust’s centenary reception hosted by Her Majesty The Queen at Clarence House

Each year, health visitors introduce over half a million families to story sharing, using the programme to bring families together and create, for every child, a sense of stability, well-being and connection through reading. BookTrust research shows that reading from the earliest years has a powerful impact at a critical stage of children’s development, helping them build strong bonds with caregivers and develop important life skills, beyond literacy, as they grow.

Bookstart Baby has supported families with newborn babies for over 30 years. Health visitors, registrars, and many other early years partners take part in the programme, which reaches 90% of all newborn babies. The programme provides books to families along with help and advice on early reading, often given at one of the health checks in the first nine months of a baby’s life.

This year’s Bookstart Baby book is a new Peter Rabbit story, Four Happy Bunnies, created exclusively for BookTrust’s Bookstart Baby programme. It has been written for babies under one-year-old and will be appearing in the Bookstart Baby packs soon.

The author Sir Michael Morpurgo, BookTrust’s President, gave a short address at the reception, highlighting the importance of reading to your baby. He also delighted the audience by reading the new Peter Rabbit book.

The Queen cuts BookTrust’s 100th birthday cake with Peter Rabbit – Image credit: Ian Jones Photography

Alison Morton, iHV CEO, meeting Her Majesty The Queen at the BookTrust event. Image credit: Ian Jones Photography

Sir Michael Morpurgo, BookTrust President, with the Peter Rabbit book. Image credit: Ian Jones Photography

iHV supports #BathBookBed campaign

The iHV is delighted to support the BookTrust’s #BathBookBed campaign to help parents create a regular nightly routine to get their little ones to sleep at night.

Bath, Book, Bed is a national campaign from BookTrust to encourage parents to make stories part of every child’s bedtime routine – with parenting expert Jo Frost and the much-loved Daddy Pig as the ambassadors for Bath, Book, Bed.

 The campaign is endorsed by the iHV:

By making reading part of a bedtime routine, your child will relax, learn new language and this bonding time between you will always be looked forward to. Books are essential to development and screen time will never be a substitute.

All parents/carers worry about getting young children to sleep at night – and, of course, getting enough sleep themselves. But it doesn’t have to be a bedtime battle. Reading a book before bed as part of a regular nightly routine is the perfect way to get your little one ready to visit the land of nod. Bath, Book, Bed is all you need to remember.

Parents/carers can download their copy of the new Bath, Book, Bed booklet

The BookTrust website also features a Best Bedtime Books list and has lots more ideas, guidance and practical tips on ensuring stories are part of every child’s bedtime routine.