🌟 Summer Reading Champions: Celebrating Young Superstars! 🌟

• Volunteering

This summer, our incredible Summer Reading Champions have lit up libraries with their joy, energy, and dedication—bringing the Summer Reading Challenge to life in the most vibrant way!

Summer Reading Champions have been proving their weight in gold. I’ve been lucky enough to visit the libraries over the summer to attend special events and see the champions in action. From supporting children in crafts to signing families up to the challenge, the champions have been rushed off their feet. One champion told me how she prefers being in the library during the busy events as she loves helping people! Another spoke to me about how much she would love to work in a library and volunteering is giving her the stepping stones to the skills and confidence she needs to do so.

We are thrilled to invite Summer Reading Champions to a special Thank You Celebration at the stunning University of Leicester Botanic Gardens! Champions and their responsible adults are invited to enjoy games, laughter, and delicious treats in a beautiful setting—an uplifting finale to a summer of impact.

Thank you!
This success wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering support of Library Supervisors and Library Support Assistants. Their encouragement has empowered champions to shine in their own unique ways—whether through creativity, communication, or leadership. They have helped them feel seen, valued, and capable. The feedback speaks volumes: champions are loving their experience and gaining new skills that will stay with them long after summer ends.

Evaluation

This is our first time using our Volunteering Managing System, Assemble, to support the volunteering journey. We’ve seen good engagement from champions —from application to onboarding. We feel this new approach has opened doors for young people to step into their roles with confidence and independence. We are currently asking champions to complete our evaluation, we look forward to hearing their feedback!