THURROCK Council is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to support this year's Summer Reading Challenge in its libraries.

If you're aged 13 to 18 and can volunteer about around 15 hours this summer, you are invited to make an application in before Saturday, 21 June.

Find out more and download the forms via this link.

The Summer Reading Challenge, organised each year by The Reading Agency, encourages children to keep reading during the summer holidays. Children set a reading goal and collect rewards for reading anything they enjoy.

Last year's Summer Reading Challenge 'Marvellous Makers', celebrated children's creativity and imagination through reading and creative activities. 

In 2024, 2315 children in Thurrock aged between 0 and 16 years old joined the Summer Reading Challenge. Of these, 1,448 children read six books or more.

The challenge asks children to read or listen to library books over the summer.

If they read six books, they get a certificate and an eco-friendly wooden medal. Children under 4 years-old get a gold sticker medal. If children read 8 books, they receive a limited edition bookbag.

Throughout their reading they can get a special collector's folder and stickers.

Although it is free to join the Summer Reading Challenge, children must have their own library card. 

It's easy to join the library. Children can borrow up to 14 books to read and, for the Summer Reading Challenge they can choose three books per visit to talk about.

Children can talk with library staff and volunteers or be creative by making something or drawing a picture inspired by their chosen book.