Highlife Highland Library Service in Thurso organised a fun Gaelic Book-Bug session which formed part of the National Book Week Scotland event. Officials from the Council’s Gaelic Team were present to provide detailed information on the benefits of bilingualism to the many parents who attended the event.
The Book-Bug sessions were led by Carol-Anne Farquhar and Maree Nicolson, the Gaelic Parent Toddler Workers for the Care and Learning Alliance (CALA). Well-known local artists Raymond Bremner and Christine Stone led fun Gaelic singing and story-telling sessions.
The local toddler group- ‘Rionnagan Beaga’, parents from Thurso and surrounding area, children from the Croileagan Inbhir Theòrsa, Gaelic medium pupils and the Gaelic Teacher, Miss Lynsey Munro, from Mount Pleasant Primary were all present and participated in the exciting and fun sessions.
Donald McLachlan Chair of High Life Highland said:
“I am delighted to see the natural development of the successful Book-Bug programme through the medium of Gaelic being introduced in Thurso Library and Gallery and demonstrates our support of Gaelic language and culture as part of National Book Week.”
Debbie MacGruer, a local parent who has two children attending the Gaelic medium primary class at Mount Pleasant and one child attending the local Gaelic toddler group said “ The children thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Gaelic singing and storytelling sessions. It is encouraging to see how successful Gaelic medium education is in the local area”.
Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chairperson of the Gaelic Implementation Group said, “It’s great to see Gaelic being included in the National Book Week event especially in and around the Thurso area, where we have a number of vibrant Gaelic groups and a Gaelic Medium Department in Mount Pleasant School. He continued, “I think this is a good example of agencies such as Highlife Highland, the Council, CALA, and the local groups working together to achieve the best outcome for parents and children who are committed to Gaelic and cultural development in Thurso and the surrounding area”.
