Kids the season at the City Library

Children from migrant and refugee centres in Cork are invited for songs and stories at the City Library today, with a visit from a special man in red very likely.

At 10am on Thursday Bags of Welcome will be given to early years children from Ukrainian accommodation centres, Direct Provision, Kinsale Road and Direct Provision Ashbourne House Glounthaune, and Together-Razem Centre, at the Children’s and Young People’s Library on Grand Parade. Welcoming the little boys and girls will be the man himself, Santa Claus, who is taking a much needed break from toy building in order to spend a day in Cork.

Families will receive 2 wordless picture books in a drawstring bag. The hope is that parents of early years children will use their Bag of Welcome to read to their babies and children. By highlighting the benefits of reading to and with babies and young children, the programme encourages the habit of a regular visit to the library for children of all nationalities.

Through the Bags of Welcome programme, Cork City Libraries supports the vision of the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP), ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for early years children, who are at risk of being marginalised within Cork city.

The programme is targeted at, but not limited to, early years children in Ukrainian residential centres, children in Direct Provision, and children in RAPID areas. For further information, contact Clare Doyle at 087-6549131 or 021-4924903, or e-mail clare_doyle@corkcity.ie.