Local MP celebrates National Childminding Week

11.02.12am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th Jul 2008

Mark celebrating National Childminding week with local childminder Julie Carr and the children she minds.

Cheadle MP Mark Hunter joined children and their childminder on 27 June 2008 at her home to celebrate National Childminding Week.

Mark reading "The Gruffalo" with the children

The event was part of National Childminding Week 2008 (14th-21st June), organised by the National Childminding Association (NCMA). This year, to tie in with the National Year of Reading, the theme for National Childminding Week is reading and the role childminders and nannies play in supporting language, literacy and creativity.

During the visit Mark Hunter read the children's book "The Gruffalo" with the children and their childminder. Mark was also showed the booklets and bookmarks that the children made during National Childminding Week 2008.

During the week, registered childminders encouraged children's love of books by:

• reading "The Gruffalo" together - voted childminders' favourite book for children by members of National Childminding Association.

• giving out National Childminding Week bookmarks for children to decorate and use.

• helping children "write" their own book using downloadable resources from www.ncma.org.uk.

After the visit Mark Hunter MP said: "I was very pleased that I was able to join in with the event for National Childminding Week on 27th June 2008. It is good news that the Week will raise awareness of the work that registered childminders and nannies do to promote communication and literacy in their settings, and at home."

Julie Carr said,

"We were delighted that Mr Hunter was able to join us for our National Childminding Week celebration. It was great for registered childminders to show their local MP just how they encourage reading and children's literacy during the year."