Councillors from Rotherham Council took a short amount of time to read a book before their Council meeting on Wednesday 12 April 2023.
Promoting the Take 10 campaign, Councillors were encouraging residents to read for at least ten minutes a day so that they can feel the many benefits associated with reading.
Reading not only helps develop literacy skills, it also supports problem solving skills and emotional intelligence.
By taking ten minutes a day to read, either by yourself or reading to others, whether you enjoy reading books or magazines or listening to an audio books, you are also helping your mental health and wellbeing by unwinding and de-stressing after a long day.
Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Cllr David Sheppard, said: “Reading and accessing books is hugely important for everyone, no matter what their reading level is. For many people, I know that feeling like they don’t have enough time to read can put them off, but, as we showed, reading can happen anywhere, at any time, whether you’re waiting for a meeting to start or for a bus, or even just for a quick break! It was great to see so many Councillors get involved and just goes to show how much Rotherham Loves Reading.”
Cabinet Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services, Cllr Victoria Cusworth, said: “I’ve always been a reader and I think it’s really important for everyone to have the opportunity to find a book they love. Reading is also hugely important to a child’s development, whether they are reading by themselves or by being read to by their parents, grandparents or carers. I know that many people, myself included, will have fond memories of reading with their loved ones when they were younger.”
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Cllr David Roche, said: “Looking after your mental health is important, especially in our busy lives, and reading is a great way to take time for yourself and do something you enjoy. There are many benefits to reading, from gaining more confidence to learning something new, and many more.”
For more information or to get involved in Take 10, go to the Council’s website at www.rotherham.gov.uk/libraries/take-10.
