Red Lion Books, Colchester  
‘Bedtime with the Red Lion’ will invite parents and pre-school children to discover the joy of books together, by modelling relaxed, playful and exploratory approaches to shared reading. Delivered through free pop-up sessions in community hubs, the project will help parents overcome anxiety about reading aloud by emphasising interaction, storytelling, and connection rather than performance.

Parents will be encouraged to follow their child’s lead by pointing to pictures, repeating phrases, asking questions, and enjoying the story in their own way and reframing reading as a creative exchange that strengthens bonds and builds early learning confidence for both parent and child. Families will receive books and simple guidance to continue reading at home, along with a “Reading Passport” to record their favourite books and memories, encouraging ongoing engagement.

Designed to be inclusive of all literacy levels, languages and backgrounds, the initiative aims to strengthen early literacy and foster a positive reading culture within families.

We are thrilled and look forward to working on this in our community.