Reading a book is just like being a detective in a TV series. You have to look for clues to make the story work. This was our first book detective story: First, we are going to read a story together – I will read it, and you will listen carefully for clues. Then we will […]
Book Detectives (1) Read More »
CBN offered two workshops in January, but only one in February – the hectic athletics season at schools, but we are in full stride again, with a busy March programme. Saturday morning CBN Book Club 2 March – Book Detectives 9 March – Singing stories Holiday Day Workshops (One Stanford, one Hermanus) Monday 18 March
Children everywhere used to have strong tradition of clapping games. In Africa that tradition still exists and is enjoyed hugely. We usually begin a workshop with games. It gives a little time for the CBN children to relax after a bit of hectic outdoor play and – more importantly – it brings them together as
Moving the focus of story to Africa – where it all began This two-part workshop looked more closely at the origins of story – and how important it is both culturally and socially. We had an over-abundance of children (as has come to be usual) and the Teen Team are still deep in the start
Out of Africa: A story workshop 26 January Read More »
The children who come to Children’s Book Network workshops in increasing numbers are volunteers. They want to come. It isn’t part of school. It’s fun. It takes a lot of work to prepare for and run a workshop, and even more work goes on in the background. This picture shows some of our volunteer and
Friends of CBN, Anja and Reto Schleputz recently asked their friends to donate to CBN instead of buying presents for a special birthday! The resulting money enabled us to give a full workshop for Stanford children, including snacks and juice, art materials and stationery – and something towards books too. We thank and salute them
Continuing our theme of story and how important it is culturally and socially, we will be working with some stories out of Africa. The workshop will be from 9.30 (snacks for the children) to about 12.00 when transport will be arranged for those who live at De Kop. Image: A CBN child at the first
Story workshop 26 January 2019 – Out of Africa Read More »
Our wonderful friends in Rottweil, Germany, who visited us in person in September, have sent a cash donation to pay for four new toolboxes that will go to schools in the Overberg. The first of these will be donated to The Butterfly Centre in February and will be slightly modified to include material for children
A donation to provide four new toolboxes in the Stanford area Read More »
CBN was privileged to welcome Nina and Michael Grimm, from Rottweil, to a workshop on 3 January 2019. The title of the workshop was ‘Once upon a time’, and this was a story that had a happy beginning, middle and end. Our guests arrived laden with gifts and a wave of warmth and good cheer
A Story workshop with plenty of happy beginnings … Read More »
A Grimm Fairy Tale Once upon a time … Well, once, there was a girl who lived in a very small house with her brother, her mother, her auntie and her grandmother. The girl’s name was Mimi and she loved to sing. She sang in the morning and she sang while she walked to school
A sweet Grimm Fairy Tale Read More »
Just before our holiday workshop that ended off CBN’s successful year, we were offered the gift of some books that our CBN children could take home with them – and own. Owning books is a critical part of learning to love books and reading, and Book Dash understands this need. They do several things: They
Book Dash Book Donation Read More »
There will be more about that, the first workshop of this year, the last workshop of last year … and the generosity of all our friends. Our apologies for the short break in communications. Our Director (who doubles as website manager) moved house and the resulting dislocations have only just been sorted out – today
Welcome 2019 – and thank you! Read More »
Every December we enjoy the inspiring sight of thousands of bikers pouring into designated centres with huge teddy-bears and other toys strapped onto their bikes, themselves … their girlfriends. Stanford is one of those centres and Stanford Rotary handles the distribution of these heartfelt gifts. This year some of the soft toys – the bigger
Rotary Donation of toys Read More »
We ended off the year on a complete high note with participation from talented Zimbabwean musician Terry Tekura and his colleague Edward Schmidt – on 10th December. Our children absolutely love music, they love listening to it, participating in it – and dancing to it. They did all three in the company of Terry and
A spectacular end to the year! Read More »
We have had a magnificent ride through this past year. CBN has gone from strength to strength on all fronts. With funding from Lotto and also from the Sue and Paddy Kell Family Trust, we were able to consolidate CBN on all fronts and give a total of 29 workshops to children and librarians in
Celebrating 2018 – looking forward to 2019! Read More »
Hildegard has been with us for a year now – and we wonder how she finds the time between her work as Viticulturalist at Springfontein Wine Farm and her studies for her PhD. She has found a strong voice in our meetings, with plenty of ideas and exciting new concepts. During a winter business tour
The CBN Team – Board Member Hildegard Witbooi Read More »
Without the people who dig deep in their pockets to help our work, nothing would be possible. The following donations were enormously helpful in the 2018 calendar year. Many, many thanks to: National Lotteries Commission (December 2017) The Paddy and Sue Kell Family Trust (November 2017) Henrietta Chiappini R6000 (November 2017) Anthony Gregorowski – regular
CBN is extremely grateful to our donors of 2018 Read More »
We found Nyasha by accident – and now we don’t know how we managed without her. She sprang into the workshops as a volunteer and gradually revealed just how talented she is. Singing, dancing, conducting the CBN choir, tie-dying T-shirts, helping with any and all activities between books and story sessions. There seemed to be
Nyasha Makwarimba – leader of the Teen Team 2018 – 2019 Read More »
Great choir input from Vuyokasi Size and her husband.
CBN Choir part of new Stanford Project Read More »
The following short address was made at the awarding of the Social Responsibility Awards at Hermanus High School in October 2018 by Lesley Beake. One of the first human activities was – had to be – sharing. That also included giving. If you want to live in a hostile environment, you have to cooperate, you
Social Responsibility Awards – and a new Teen Team! Read More »
