Acclaimed Author, Jackie French visits Cessnock

Renowned children’s author, Jackie French visited the Cessnock Local Government Area for a two day visit with local schools last week.

Ms French inspired and entertained 1500 students from numerous schools including, Cessnock High, Kitchener Public School, Bellbird Public School, Cessnock Public School, East Cessnock Public School, West Cessnock Public School, St Patricks Public School, Millfield Public School, Laguna Public School, Paxton Public School, Nulkaba Public School, Pelaw Main Public School and Stanford Merthyr Public School.

Ms French also did a free all ages talk at Kurri Kurri Library last Wednesday evening to an audience of 70 people. Library Services Co-ordinator Rose-marie Walters said we were honoured to host a visit from Jackie as part of Regional Arts NSW Country Arts Support Program.  

A strong message from Jackie French was about the importance of reading, of libraries and the power of words to change the world.

“The best place of all to actually learn not just about yourself but about other people, about other generations of people, other cultures, other languages, other ideas, other religions, who you can be, who people have been, is here in the library. It’s here in all of these books and the librarians are basically the custodians of all that is greatest in humanity.”

Ms Walters said this was an important message especially considering that Ms French herself struggled with reading and dyslexia.                                                     

As part of Jackie’s visit Cessnock City Library held a membership drive for school students and their families with hundreds of new membership cards delivered during the school visits.

To acknowledge Jackie's passion for wildlife and wombats and to thank her for visiting Cessnock, several of the schools fundraised with a book sale and gold coin donation on the day with all proceeds going to the Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue Inc and Hospital. 

 9/24/2018