FAMILIES with children under 12 months are being encouraged to collect free baby books from their local library.

Bookstart baby packs are usually gifted to new parents by their health visitor at the six-week post birth check-up.

The pandemic has meant that some health checks have been carried out remotely and as a result parents may not have received their pack. The free packs, which are available to babies under 12 months old, can be collected from all East Sussex libraries.

Each pack contains two board books, a rhyme sheet and a booklet of tips and ideas for sharing books with children from a very young age.

Cllr Dowling, the county council’s lead member said: “Sharing books, stories and rhymes with children from an early age can help create a lifelong reader.

“Each Bookstart pack contains lovely books to help new parents enjoy books with their child. If you live in East Sussex and your baby hasn’t received their pack, please visit your local library to collect your free pack.”

Bookstart, the world’s first national book-gifting programme, gives free books to every child in England and Wales at two key stages before school, and aims to encourage a love of books, stories and rhymes from as young an age as possible.

Run by BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, the Bookstart programme is funded by Arts Council England and the Welsh Government as well as BookTrust’s partners and donors.

Residents can find their local library by visiting eastsussex.gov.uk/findlibrary or by calling 0345 60 80 196.