Yesterday marked the launch of our latest REaD and Sing with Me at Home campaign, particularly for our communities who are in lockdown. We are celebrating reading and singing at home especially on Wednesdays.

Check out your local PTTR facebook pages – and share with your friends – to see what is happening in your local community.

Here are some:@Paint Inner West Read, @Paint Liverpool Read, @Paint Mt Druitt with Rooby Roo, @Paint Canterbury Read, @All Areas Family Day Care, @Paint the Gong Read, @Paint the Town REaD

For those of us in lockdown (or not!) Wednesday is the day to spend lots of time with our children reading and singing.

#readandsingwithmeathome

Paint the Town REaD, Black and Yellow Celebrates!

Celebrating NAIDOC Week this year will be very different across our great land – as our PTTRB&Y (including PTTR) communities will celebrate according to COVID requirements.

We aim is to help close the early literacy gap for our First Nations children – led by local Elders.

This week especially we wish to acknowledge their eons of wisdom, love and commitment to their children, communities and land.

Congratulations to our very own Barbie Bates who has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list with an Order of Australia Medal for her service to children.

Barbie has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of children across Australia, most recently as the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Paint the Town REaD.

When speaking to Barbie following the announcement she said:‘I am overwhelmed to receive this honour. Close to 30 years ago I attended a graduation service at Batchelor TAFE college in the NT. As graduates went forward to receive their awards, they were preceded and/or accompanied by Elders and/or dancers from their Aboriginal communities. There was a very strong sense that the graduates were representing their communities, as their communities had been crucial to them achieving their success and that they were receiving their awards on behalf of their communities. A shared Award.

This is my sense about this honour. I am receiving it on behalf of, and because of, all in PTTR – from the Board to all the volunteers across our 90+ communities. It belongs to us all.’

Our 8th National Conference ended with the call for everyone present to meet up and yarn with Aboriginal friends and colleagues during Reconciliation Week, given the theme this year of More than a Word. Reconciliation Takes Action.

Aptly, with the Conference theme being Enhancing Early Literacy by Embracing our Cultural Diversity, the tone was set by Aunty Lyn Martin, when her Welcome to Country included her reading the Uluru Statement from the Heart to us.

We’re thrilled to tell you that Their Excellencies the Governor General and Mrs Hurley are attending our 8th National Conference on Thursday 20 May. Mrs Hurley (our Patron) will be opening the Conference. They will also be joining us for our Conference Dinner.

This is a great way for you to meet them, as well as receive up to date research and practice skills to incorporate into your early literacy practices.

Mrs Hurley is a terrific Patron for PTTR. Have a look at how she launched our National REaD and Sing with Me at Home Campaign last year.

Register now! It isn’t too late.

Thank you to everyone in PTTR communities across Australia – for the way you have moved heaven and earth this year to keep the message of ‘Read with your Baby from Birth’ alive in your local communities.

Thank you to our wonderful donors who make our work possible – and to all the amazing volunteers behind the scenes. You are all awesome!

May you walk in peaceful and renewing places in this Season.

In this Together

Today marks the end of National Reconciliation Week 2020.

Reconciliation between our First Nations and those of us who came later, is entwined in the life of PTTR.

A beautiful example from this week, was a poster developed by Paint Shoalhaven REaD, Black and Yellow in NSW, teaching children about staying safe during Covid 19. It has been shared across Australia to all our communities. And this week is being updated by The Swan community in WA. From Yuin sands to Noongar lands.