Barnsley Libraries continue to celebrate diversity by launching a multi-lingual stories and rhymes book

On Monday afternoon, Barnsley Libraries celebrated the finale of the Stories from Around the World project by launching a multi-lingual book of stories, rhymes and songs representing different cultures and nationalities.

Barnsley Libraries have been working together with the Feels Like Home group, which includes asylum seekers, migrant workers and refugees, many of whom speak English as an additional language.

Over the past six months, 13 families from the Feels Like Home group were hosted in the Library @ the Lightbox where they have been sharing nursery rhymes and fairy tales from their countries and songs in their first language. The group has also enjoyed making puppets to help enhance their storytelling and created illustrations with the help of local artist Helen Boutle.

Cllr Caroline Makinson, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “Barnsley Libraries are continuing its long tradition of supporting local communities and ensuring its offer stays accessible, relevant and diverse.

“It was great to see many people from different backgrounds come together and celebrate their culture and heritage with others through story and rhyme sessions.”

Dave Watson, Project Development Coordinator at Creative Minds, said: “The project saw people from a wide range of nationalities taking part including families from El Salvador, Greece, Romania, Sudan and Afghanistan.

“Families enjoyed learning new nursery rhymes and fairy tales, with children pleased to learn songs that they had heard at nursery or school in the UK. Families also really enjoyed sharing nursery rhymes and fairy tales from their countries of origin, relishing the challenge of explaining meanings in English, and teaching songs to speakers of other languages.”

The multi-lingual Stories from Around the World book includes stories, rhymes and songs in 11 languages and is available at all Barnsley Libraries branches and through the online resources.

The Stories from Around the World project was jointly funded by Creative Minds, through South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Barnsley Libraries and Creative Minds have worked in partnership over the past two years bringing creative and uplifting projects to the borough.