Agenda Bookshop has partnered up with the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society to encourage reading among children.

Agenda Bookshop will be supporting the events carried out as part of the President's Secret Garden Children's Hub at San Anton Palace, launched last week by President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

The children's hub was created to encourage child participation, inclusion, healthy eating, self-expression and literacy.

"We have always believed in the need to create spaces for children that encourage learning and expression, so we really loved the idea to transform San Anton Gardens in this way," said Agenda Bookshop's marketing manager Emma Sullivan.

"We are already seeing very encouraging results from working closely with other national institutions to boost literacy around the islands, so this is another way for us to contribute for the improvement of Maltese society," she added.

Five educational programmes will be organised as part of the Children's Hub project: Bravi (a project aimed at instilling a positive attitude in children), Aqra Miegħi (a project aimed at instilling a love for reading), Fonzu l-Fenek (a project to motivate children to eat more fruit and vegetables), a project on Arts and Crafts and another on creative dancing.

 The President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society is receiving applications on [email protected] or 21484662 for children to participate in these programmes.

Agenda Bookshop sponsors the Education Ministry's Reading Ambassadors programme, which is part of the national literacy strategy.

Agenda Bookshop recently also launched the You Can Read series on DVD, a product aimed at helping children aged between three and six develop a love for reading.