Image from Hastings Literacy Hub Facebook page

26,000 books are coming to town!

Bloomsbury Publishing and the National Literacy Trust Hub in Hastings are gifting more than 26,000 brand new books to children and adults across Hastings and St Leonards, writes Vanessa Alves.

With libraries still closed and most children not attending school at this time, access to books has greatly diminished, and Especially for those from  disadvantaged communities who are the least likely to have books of their own at home. This gift of books intends to help support literacy skills and mental health of both children and adults.

Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “We are proud to be working with Bloomsbury to gift this incredible donation to children and families in Hastings and St Leonards. We know that children who have books of their own enjoy reading more, do better at school and are happier in their lives, but too many children do not have a single book of their own at home. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that children, young people and families who need it most have access to books and resources to support their literacy development and well-being.”

The National Literacy Trust Hub in Hastings and Bloomsbury Publishing launched a three-year partnership last summer to inspire a love of reading in the town, raise the aspirations of primary school children, and help adults with literacy challenges to access the support they need to improve their own literacy skills.

Thousands of children and adults in Hastings will experience the joy of receiving their very own books thanks to the support of 16 local schools and community organisations. Food banks and homeless shelters are among those who will be distributing the books over the next 12 weeks as part of the vital work they do in the community.

Children will be able to choose from a fantastic range of fiction and non-fiction books published by Bloomsbury, including the Kid Normal series by Chris Smith and Greg James, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, and the activity book Fantastically Great Women Who Made History by Kate Pankhurst. Adult books include: To The Lions by Holly Watts, Wildlife by Richard Ford and Sail Away by Celia Imrie.

Emma Hopkin, Managing Director of Bloomsbury Consumer, said: “During these challenging times we are proud, through our partnership with the National Literacy Trust, to be able to get books directly into the hands of children and families who do not necessarily have access to them. We hope that our education resources will inspire children with new ideas and spark creativity to help families best support their children as they learn from home.” 

New Facebook page launched for Hastings readers

To support and inspire families in the area to engage with literacy in these challenging times, the National Literacy Hub in Hastings recently launched a new Facebook page that promotes fun and engaging activities that children and young adults can do to continue developing their reading, writing and language skills. Families also have access to a huge variety of resources featured on the National Literacy Trust platforms Family Zone and Zone In.

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