New “At Home” Books | Thanks to Teachers | Double the Storytelling | New Festive Story | Knitters wanted | Christmas Shopping | Help from Denmark... | ...and HSBC | My favourite story | New Christmas Stickers | Gifts in Kind | Passing Out | Trustees wanted | Awards
New “At Home” Books
In an exciting new development for Bag Books, we have just taken delivery of a lorry load of components which will be assembled to form a new type of multi-sensory book aimed for use “At Home”.
Our “classic” range of books are designed for use with groups in settings such as Schools, Libraries and Day Centres. Each book is hand-made in our workshop and takes an average of eight hours to construct; they are therefore quite expensive and we only have the resources to make a few hundred each year.
Building on our 18 years of experience, The Captain’s Hat is the first in a new range of “At Home” books designed for parents and carers. The ease of assembly means they are much more affordable than the “classic” books - just £25. We’ve also gone back to the roots of our name - the new books are in a draw-string bag rather than a cardboard box!
To launch the new range, the first 100 copies ordered via our website will be free of charge (one per person, UK parents/carers only). See www.bagbooks.org/books.html#41 for details and a link to see the new book in use.
Thanks to Teachers
Our multi-sensory books are now used in over two-thirds of all the Special Schools in the UK catering for pupils with Severe and/or Profound & Multiple Learning Disabilities. Many thanks to all the Special Needs Teachers who completed our online survey regarding the benefits they had observed in children with learning disabilities through the use of our books. The impressive results included:
- 99% had experienced children developing a reaction to stimuli;
- 98% had experienced children developing their participation in shared activities;
- 97% had experienced children developing an interest in people, events or objects;
- 96% had experienced children developing their focus of attention on people, events or objects;
- 95% had experienced children developing their acceptance and engagement in coactive or shared exploration;
- 93% had experienced children developing their awareness of activities and experiences; and
- 92% had experienced children developing their turn-taking.
In addition, we were very pleasantly surprised with the responses to the question of how often multi-sensory books were used in class: 86% said at least weekly including 36% who said daily.
Double the Storytelling
In the first nine months of 2011 we have had 3,625 participants attending our storytelling sessions; this compares with 1,730 in the first nine months of 2010 and 694 in 2009.
New Festive Story
Having already published three new titles so far this year, The Fairground, What Am I? and Zubair’s Eid, we have now completed another new book. The Christmas Story is a multi-sensory version of the Nativity featuring a donkey, inn door, manger, star and selection of wise gifts. All four of these new books are now available to order via our online shop or our order form.
Knitters wanted
Our volunteer, Mrs Oakley, who has knitted the majority of the 1,000 “Desmonds” made over the past 18 years has now retired.
We’ve found a few new knitters and want to thank Barbara Harris, Linda Gates, Maggie Walters, Sue George, Joan White and Marion Mason. We still need more knitters though – if you know someone who would be willing to knit for us please put them in touch with our Workshop Manager, Sophie Baker Tel. 020 7627 0444
Christmas Shopping
Why not earn commission for Bag Books whilst doing your Christmas Shopping?
In the left hand column of every page on our website you can click on links to “Amazon” or “eStore” and you can buy presents such as books, electrical products, and toys. Over the last 12 months we’ve earnt £382.15 so it really does work.
Help from Denmark...
Two Danish students joined the workshop team for two weeks in October. In London to practice their English, Camilla and Louise helped assemble many of our books including the ever popular “Desmond”. At the end of their stay our Craft Artist, Helen, made a plate-full of “Desmond” biscuits as a farewell treat.
... and HSBC
Our friends from HSBC Private Bank also returned for another day in our workshop. Lord Janvrin, Deputy Chairman of the Bank, popped in to check up on progress towards the end of the day.
My favourite story
Jayne Hayman, Head of Lower School, Parkside School, Norwich:
“The story that springs to mind is Gran’s Visit. The children loved sharing in cleaning their chairs with their dusters as they imagined tidying up before Gran arrived. I also saw pupils who would not normally enjoy new smells or physical contact share in smelling the polishing cloth, rattling the letterbox and enjoy the welcome from Gran when she arrived.”
Stuart Cummings, Director of Services, Bag Books:
“My favourite story has to be The Little Princess, because it really does have something for everyone. There’s the pretty dress and the cat for those that like feeling “nice” things and there’s the flowers to smell which always gets a laugh if the participant comes up with talc on their nose. But for me, the best part has to be having a tug of war with each of the participants on the rope page. It’s always good for a workout! ”
Susanna Oldfield, Storyteller, Bag Books:
“My favourite story is The Match. The kids love it so much when I blow the whistle and shout ‘GOAL!’ I do it a few times... The hunt for the scarf always causes excitement and anticipation in the build-up to the game. Then I love the reaction of the teacher and assistants who pretty much always mutter “doesn’t sound like any football match I’ve seen!”. Love it.”
Sophie Baker, Workshop Manager, Bag Books:
“I find it very exciting when a new story is being developed. Aladdin should be ready for production in December and it’s been adapted by our Craft Artist, Magda. It’s full of magic and has some fantastic multi-sensory props such as bubbles and a shooting star. I really enjoy the magnetic engagement ring as it brings love into the story which a lot of other Bag Books don’t have. I also have a great page where our crafty volunteers can make lots of silver chain links. “
New Christmas Stickers
We’re not yet big enough to have our own range of Christmas Cards so we’ve come up with a wizard way of adding that Bag Books feel to your own Cards - Christmas Stickers. They can also be used to seal envelopes or to wrap up presents.
We have two ranges available: 20 small gold stickers for £2 per sheet or 12 larger contemporary stickers for £3 per sheet. The important thing is that each sticker represents a donation to Bag Books.
Order at www.bagbooks.org/stickers.html or call us for an order form. You might also be interested in our range of Multi-sensory Gifts which can be seen at www.bagbooks.org/gifts.html or again just ask us to send you an order form.
Gifts in Kind
Many thanks to our friends at Battery Station www.batterystation.co.uk for supplying 3,000 batteries for our new “At Home” book The Captain’s Hat. Thanks too to Mal and Maggie from H&H for helping us to source the majority of the diverse items that together make up the new book.
Thanks to Veet for supplying 70 hair removal spatulas for Jason’s Wish.
Passing Out
With our “Telling Tales” project coming to a close, the 180 trainee Librarians have all been completing their courses and “passing out”.
The photo above shows a trainee from Petts Wood Library at the last of her six storytelling sessions in July.
Trustees wanted
We currently have seven volunteer Trustees from a wide variety of backgrounds and are looking to appoint a further three Trustees with direct experience of SLD/PMLD. The Trustees are responsible for the strategic management of the charity. For more information please see www.bagbooks.org/jobs.html
Awards
In late November 2010, we won the “Everyday Impact Award - Long-term Enterprises” category of the DSC Social Change Awards. Dean Casswell, our Chief Executive, said “This is the first award Bag Books has ever won so it is very special and even more so because it was decided by a public vote – many thanks to everyone who voted for us.”
Just over a week later, we won The Guardian Charity Awards 2010 which came with a £6,000 prize fund, free NCVO membership, free fundraising training from The FSI and free support from The Media Trust. Dean said “Being chosen to receive this award from over 700 nominations means a great deal for Bag Books and the prize money will be used to develop a groundbreaking new storytelling project for adults in Day Centres.” The Guardian also made a film about us which you can see at http://www.guardian.co.uk/charity-awards/video/winner-2010-bag-books
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