Go North East launches reading campaign on buses

Go North East has introduced the story stickers on the back of bus seats as part of the National Year of Reading.

The scheme aims to boost literacy by encouraging conversations about stories during everyday journeys.

Families enjoying a free storytelling event on top of Go Norh’s East’s open top bus (Image: Mark Savage Photograpy)

Daniel Laird, commercial director at Go North East, said: “We’re really pleased to be supporting the National Year of Reading – bus journeys are a great opportunity to take a break from screens and read a book or come up with stories with your children.

“It was fantastic to offer free storytelling sessions on our open top bus, creating a unique and affordable way to engage young children with reading.

“Children also travel for free on our service throughout the summer holidays, giving families a chance to explore the many wonderful libraries and bookshops around the region.”

From left – Katrina Bainbridge, Go North East driver, and Michael Robson, storyteller from from Seven Stories (Image: Mark Savage Photograpy)

The prompts are designed to get families and children talking about stories, and the wider campaign hopes to reverse declining rates of reading for pleasure.

Recent figures highlight the scale of the problem in the North East, where one in five children aged five to eight does not own a book, and one in five state primary schools lack a library – compared to just one in 20 in the South.

During the summer holidays, Go North East teamed up with Seven Stories and the National Literacy Trust to host three storytelling sessions on an open-top bus outside Seven Stories in Ouseburn.

The events, called Story Bus, were free to attend.

Michael, storycatcher from Seven Stories (Image: Mark Savage Photograpy)

Lucy Reeves, project officer at the National Literacy Trust, said: “It has been wonderful working with Go North East to spread the joy of reading across the North East.

“The storytelling stickers have opened up more opportunities for children and families to engage with reading and storytelling in the small moments of daily life.

“Go North East have embraced the Go All In message to bring reading opportunities into new spaces, for example on our local buses.”

Bus sticker (Image: Mark Savage Photograpy)

The National Year of Reading is a major campaign led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust, aiming to encourage more people to make reading part of their everyday lives.

Go North East’s Toon Tour, an open-top sightseeing bus route, also stops outside Seven Stories and will run until September 27.

More information about Go North East’s services and journey planning can be found on their website.