Now Rotherham axes Dolly Parton’s reading scheme for children

A READING scheme for children backed by country and western star Dolly Parton faces being axed after unde-fire Rotherham Council pulled its financial support.
Dolly Parton launcheed  her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in RotherhamDolly Parton launcheed  her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham
Dolly Parton launcheed her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham

The Imagination Library in the town was launched in 2007 as the first UK arm of a project set up in the US by the global star in 1996.

But the local council is withdrawing its funding of the project, which posts children a book every month up to the age of five, saying the £400,000 earmarked for the scheme to cover the next two years is needed elsewhere.

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A spokesman for the Dollywood Foundation UK, which oversees the project for the singer, said it was disappointed by the decision, adding: “The programme has been successful and we hope parents and caregivers who value the programme will share their feelings with the council.”

Dolly Parton launcheed  her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in RotherhamDolly Parton launcheed  her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham
Dolly Parton launcheed her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham

The programme has delivered 950,000 books since it was launched, reaching 85% of the town’s under fives.

Parton, who wowed the Glastonbury Festival last year, visited Rotherham to launch the Imagination Library in December 2007.

The then Rotherham council leader Roger Stone was introduced to the scheme in 2006 when the town’s chamber of commerce visited Tennessee with an international business group for women.

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It was the first of what is now a group of 62 Imagination Libraries across the UK.

Dolly Parton, with children from Rotherham (left-right) Jack Boden, aged 3, and twins Jake and Josh Devey, aged 4, at the launch of her Imagination LibraryDolly Parton, with children from Rotherham (left-right) Jack Boden, aged 3, and twins Jake and Josh Devey, aged 4, at the launch of her Imagination Library
Dolly Parton, with children from Rotherham (left-right) Jack Boden, aged 3, and twins Jake and Josh Devey, aged 4, at the launch of her Imagination Library

The current council leader, Councillor Chris Read, said today that the authority had been faced with making “difficult decisions” in its 2015/2016 budget, passed yesterday, and blamed Government funding cuts.

He said: “In addressing the cuts, we have responded to residents’ priorities and sought to minimise the impact on frontline services where possible. Residents told us which areas were most important to them, and this has resulted in additional investment being put into children’s services, extra street cleansing and resurfacing roads.

“We appreciate that many families have valued the work of the Imagination Library, but unfortunately the cuts to the council meant that we could no longer afford to fund it to the tune of £400,000 over the next two years.”

He added that the scheme will continue until the summer.

Dolly Parton launching Imagination Library, her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in RotherhamDolly Parton launching Imagination Library, her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham
Dolly Parton launching Imagination Library, her children's literacy scheme at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham
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Last month, a government report on Rotherham Council, following its handling of the child sex exploitation scandal in the town, labelled it “not fit for purpose”, with an “archaic culture of sexism, bullying and discomfort around race” and “ineffective leadership and management”.