Year of Reading 2023
Welcome to 2023 – The Year of Reading
In 2023 we will be celebrating 10 years of the hugely successful North Lincolnshire Imagination Library programme. We have delivered over 800,000 books to more than 20,000 children living in North Lincolnshire, supporting all our children under 5 to develop a love of books and reading for pleasure.
To raise awareness of this incredible achievement and to further celebrate the joy and benefits reading brings, we are inviting all North Lincolnshire residents to take part in the North Lincolnshire Year of Reading. If you’re not already a library member, now would be the perfect time to join. Visit the libraries page for everything you need to know about the libraries in North Lincolnshire.
Over the year we will be offering a range of exciting reading themed events, activities and workshops for children, young people, families and adults. This will include author, illustrator, poet and creative events, plus theatre, storytelling, competitions and much more!
Be the first to find out about the Year of Reading events and activities
If you want to be kept in the loop about the latest developments, activities and events planned for the Year of Reading, please sign up to receive regular updates from North Lincolnshire libraries.
Join in as a volunteer
There are some wonderful opportunities to volunteer and support the activities and events taking place. You can find out more information about the volunteering opportunities or express your interest in volunteering below:
Upcoming events
Writing Diverse Characters: with Nell Pattison
Saturday 4 November 1pm to 3pm
Scunthorpe Central Library
Book onto the Nell Pattison session now.
Who am I: an inspirational guide to self-discovery
Monday 6 November 1pm to 3pm
The Angel, Brigg
Get more information and book onto ‘Who am I’ now.
Magic Moments with Winnie, Wilbur and Korky Paul
Wednesday 8 November 4pm to 5pm
The Plowright Theatre
Find out more and register for this event now.
Telling Stories session five: Researching your story, and markets
Friday 10 November 1pm to 3pm
Ashby Community Hub
Find out more and book your place on Telling Stories session five now.
Beginners’ Novel Writing: with Nell Pattison
Thursday 14 December 11am to 1pm
The Angel, Brigg
Find out more and register for this novel writing session now.
The Scunthorpe Festival of Christmas Trees organised by the Rotary Club
Friday 8 December 10.30am to 5pm
Saturday 2 and 9 December 10.30am to 5pm
Sunday 3 and 10 December 12.30pm to 4pm
Old Brumby United Church, Scunthorpe
The church becomes a veritable forest of around 80 sparkling trees all individually decorated by community groups ranging from schools and nurseries to churches, members clubs, Council departments and local businesses.
Visitors are welcomed in to view the trees and be entertained with a full programme of live seasonal music provided by twenty talented local musical groups including Scunthorpe Junior Cooperative Choir. Light meals, snacks and warming drinks are available in a welcoming atmosphere.
Entrance to the Festival is FREE. The organisers do ask, however, that if visitors enjoy what they experience at the Festival then voluntary donations are welcome. All money donated is shared equally between two wonderful local charities: Lindsey Lodge Hospice and Healthcare and the Scunthorpe Committee for Macmillan Cancer Support.
The Festival is entirely family-friendly and one additional attraction, this year, is that Kirsty, from Rhubarb Theatre, will be performing the heart-warming Christmas tale of ‘A Bagful of Stars’ written by local children’s’ author Addy Farmer. There will be three one-hour sessions, including a craft activity, on each of the Saturdays; 2 and 9 December, commencing at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
On Saturday 2 December at 4.30pm Susan Hollingworth and Caroline Clemmow will present a fun family-friendly entertainment involving piano and seasonal stories as well as some sing-along items such as ‘Walking in the air’ from ‘The Snowman’.
Find out more about the Festival on the Rotary Club’s Facebook page.
Competitions
You Choose Christmas
How will YOU choose to decorate your jolly Christmas jumper?
Collect your entry form from any North Lincolnshire library and be in with a chance of winning one of five copies of ‘You Choose Christmas’ by Pippa Goodhart signed by the illustrator, Nick Sharratt.
Entry forms will be available from Saturday 11 November and the closing date is Saturday 9 December. The winner will be announced on Friday 15 December.
Storytime
Poetry session with Ian Bland
Poetry from Year 5’s and 6’s from Worlaby Academy that joined the online live streaming poetry session with Ian Band on the 7 March as part of the Year of Reading.



















