Bravo to Nicholson Street Public School which held a Beanie Day in lieu of their usual Easter Hat Parade to fundraise for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Â We are hoping that other schools who are looking for a NAIDOC Week activity might follow their lead! Â We know that local Montessori Inner West, Balmain Public and Rozelle Public will be doing the same, as will the local Rozelle ArtSPARK Art school for kids.
Students at Nicho Street sourced their beanies from the Inner Wheel Balmain group who knit beanies to raise money for medical equipment for Balmain Hospital. Â They then decorated them using the theme from the Alice Springs Beanie Festival, “Out of this World”. Â There were children with whole solar systems on their beanies, a child who sewed Star Wars characters on his beanie, a young girl who used a beanie her father had bought at the Alice Springs Beanie Festival several years earlier to decorate it in this 2014 theme. Â Fun was had by all. Â The Parade was a delight to watch. Â A book swap was held and each child donated a gold coin to the ILF. Â Fun and fabulous fundraising!
The ILF works with publishers to provide book packs for remote communities – books that are culturally appropriate and which include stickers in each community’s traditional language. Â The children at Nicho Street were fascinated to understand that learning to read in English as a second or third language can be very difficult for Indigenous children in remote Australia.
Why not consider this fun event at your local school? Â ArtSPARK will be using recycled jumpers to create their beanies. Â It can be held on any day that suits but it’s a great way to help Indigenous literacy among Aboriginal, Tiwi and TSI kids!
