DUKINFIELD Town Hall was buzzing with excitement on May 29 as a crowd of 250 children and adults gathered for the latest Story Makers Celebration event.
The theme for the scheme, which involved more than 2,000 people over its seven-month run, was the emergency services.
The event aimed to introduce young children to the work performed by police, fire, and ambulance services, highlighting how these heroes help keep communities safe and culminated in a picture book called “999 Emergency” written by Susanne T Schroder and illustrated by Andy Rowland.
Susanne T. Schroder attended the celebration to sign free copies of the book, accompanied by Simon the Storyteller.
The festivities also featured balloon modelling, interactions with snakes and lizards, and play areas with tents and a ball pit, providing entertainment for all ages.
Organised by Tameside Libraries and funded by the Tameside Community Safety Partnership, the project launched in October 2023 with sessions at Ashton, Droylsden, and Dukinfield libraries, as well as virtual events via Zoom.
Cllr Sangita Patel, Tameside Council’s assistant executive member for culture, heritage, and digital inclusivity, praised the initiative: “Story Makers has been an incredible success since it was launched almost seven years ago. It plays a vital role within the council’s Tameside Loves Reading campaign, and judging by the atmosphere at the celebration event, children clearly can’t get enough of it.
“I would like to thank Tameside Libraries for organizing the scheme so well, Tameside Community Safety for their generous sponsorship, and of course Susanne and Andy for the colourful and exciting ‘999 Emergency’ picture book they produced. I’m sure the little ones will love it.”
For more information, visit www.tameside.gov.uk/Libraries/Bookstart/StoryMakers
