Project to celebrate the town’s different cultures is completed
A MULTI-LINGUAL book of stories, rhymes and songs representing different cultures and nationalities was launched by Barnsley Libraries last week.
Over the past six months, 13 families from the Feels Like Home group – which includes asylum seekers, migrant workers and refugees – were hosted in the Library @ the Lightbox to share nursery rhymes and fairytales in their first language as part of the Stories Around the World project.
Coun Caroline Makinson, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said:
“Barnsley Libraries are continuing its long tradition of supporting local communities and ensuring its offer stays accessible, relevant and diverse.
“It was great to see many people from different backgrounds come together and celebrate their culture and heritage with others through story and rhyme sessions.”
The Stories Around the World book, released on July 11, features 11 languages and is available from all Barnsley Libraries branches and through the online resources.
Dave Watson, project development coordinator at Creative Minds, who helped to fund the book through South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, added: “The project saw people from a wide range of nationalities taking part including families from El Salvador, Greece, Romania, Sudan and Afghanistan.
“Families enjoyed learning new nursery rhymes and fairy tales, with children pleased to learn songs that they had heard at nursery or school in the UK.
“Families also really enjoyed sharing nursery rhymes and fairy tales from their countries of origin, relishing the challenge of explaining meanings in English, and teaching songs to speakers of other languages.”