Families to paint the town REaD for birthday

Early literacy and learning initiative Paint the Cape REaD is set to celebrate its second year in with a birthday party for the beloved roaming mascot, Barney the Barn Owl.

Each community under the PTCR initiative has a region-specific life-sized mascot — Barney hatched from an egg two years ago in the Capes region to stimulate reading in young children.

PTCR chair Sue Riccelli said reading to children helped to develop vital pathways in their growing brains.

“It saddens me to see that reading appears to be a dying art form in many families, yet research demonstrates, that unlike numeracy skills, children who start school with minimal literacy skills, struggle to catch up down the track,” Ms Riccelli said.

PTCR encourages the Capes community to read, talk, and sing with their children every day.

Families will attend Barney’s Barnyard Party at Busselton’s The People Place on October 9.