On Thursday 18 March ILF celebrated the completion of the first Pamela Lofts Bequest for Literacy & Learning workshop in Alice Springs. Paying tribute to one of Australia’s most talented illustrators, this special event recognised Pamela’s passion for Indigenous literacy and saw eight children become published authors at the launch of The Yirara Mix Book.
In officially launching the book, author and mentor, Ali Cobby Eckermann, noted the power of Pamela’s legacy, saying:
“This program is giving our young Indigenous people a voice and that’s a wonderful thing.”
The Alice Springs Library hosted the event and 70 guests had the opportunity to listen to the young authors read some of their beautiful poems and short stories. The authors even took time to sign copies of their book.
We are enormously proud of all the children who participated in the Pamela Lofts Bequest for Literacy and Learning Program. We would like to once again like to thank the workshop participants including Lionel Fogarty and Lorna Munro along with partnerships, including Yirara College, Chren Byng at HarperCollins, Pip McManus and SOS Printing, that helped to make it all happen.
The program will run again in Alice Springs this year, mentoring a new group of children through a writing and publishing project.