Photo 1 (l-r):Barnardo’s NI North Newtownabbey Graduate Teacher Interns Roisin McAllister, Jordan Smyth, Nathan Montgomery and Emma Hilman

Four graduate interns from Barnardo’s NI Graduate Teacher Internship Programme who supported pupils and families at East Belfast primary schools Cregagh PS, Elmgrove PS, Tullycarnet PS, Euston St PS over the past academic year recently received awards in recognition of their contribution. It is the fifth year Barnardo's Family Connections Service based in East Belfast has run the programme in local schools. The aim is to support children reach numeracy and literacy targets, raise aspirations and confidence levels and engage parents. The emphasis is on making learning fun through games and outdoor learning. Highlights include activities themed around Pokemon and Minecraft. The programme is in partnership with Stranmillis University College and parents and children spent a Family Learning Day at the College.

In other Barnardo's news over two hundred toddlers from Strabane Sure Start recently took part in Barnardo’s NI annual Big Toddle held at the Melvin Centre. The fundraising event raised over £1800. Barnardo’s Strabane Manager Sharon Hasson said: “It was a fantastic day and our biggest Big Toddle to date. It was our fifteenth anniversary and every year the event gets bigger. It was brilliant that so many local families came out to support us and the sunshine was an added bonus.”

This year Barnardo’s Big Toddle marked its 20th anniversary and teamed up with the Teletubbies who are also celebrating their 20th birthday. Local Strabane bakery McColgans donated a Teletubbies decorated cake to mark the joint anniversaries. The Big Toddle is the biggest fundraising event for under five year olds across the Uk and over the past twenty years is has raised over £14.5million to support the charity’s work with children.