Bupa Foundation and Swindon Stories has announced a donation of 207 paperback copies of Bloomsbury Publishing’s The Book of Hopes to 69 primary schools in the town.
Swindon Stories is the campaign from the National Literacy Trust and Swindon Borough Council to improve local children’s literacy levels. Through this donation it is providing an essential boost of hope during the second national lockdown.
Local schools have received The Book of Hopes, Bloomsbury’s collection of inspiring short stories, artwork and poems from more than 130 much-loved children’s authors, illustrators and poets. The book was launched and curated by author Katherine Rundell in response to the first national lockdown in April.
Children in Swindon are encouraged to enter the National Literacy Trust’s competition for all 5,000 schools who received the donations nationwide. The charity is requesting that teachers and children share information on how they’re spreading optimism and hope in school and the community, taking inspiration from the artwork and writing in Bloomsbury’s original version.
Primary school teachers are asked to collate the work to create a Scrapbook of Hopes. Entrants will be in for a chance to win a set of Katherine Rundell’s best-selling books and exclusively signed artwork for their school library. One school will receive a virtual visit from Katherine Rundell.
The competition runs from 26 November until 31 January, and teachers should complete a short form and submit photos of their unique work to [email protected].
The National Literacy Trust research shows that reading for pleasure improves mental wellbeing, with more than half (59%) of children saying reading in lockdown this spring made them feel better and half (50%) saying it inspired them to dream about the future. [1]
Anish Harrison, Manager of Swindon Stories says:
“It is really exciting to have Swindon included in this wonderful donation from Bupa Foundation. This book has joy, hope and happiness bursting out of its pages so it’s fantastic to be able to gift it to so many schools in the town. The children of Swindon are always so creative and I can’t wait to see some of the entries to the Scrapbook of Hopes competition!”
Katherine Rundell, author and curator of Bloomsbury Publishing’s The Book of Hopes says:
“I started The Book of Hopes at a moment when the world looked very bleak; and having such a tsunami of joy and delight in my inbox, as more than 100 illustrators and writers sent in their work, was transformative.
“I am so vastly glad that 15,000 copies of the book will reach the kids who need hope most; will be read and pored over and laughed at and covered in food stains and underlined and loved.”
Alex Cole, Chair of the Bupa Foundation says:
“The Bupa Foundation is proud to support this important initiative to put the Book of Hopes into the hands of children who might need it the most. The National Literacy Trust has shown the valuable and important link between literacy and the wellbeing of children and young people. We cannot wait to see entries to the Scrapbook of Hopes competition from primary schools and hear how children have spread hope, kindness and a love of reading within their communities.”
More information on Bupa Foundation’s donation of 15,000 copies of The Book of Hopes and ideas, resources and inspiration for the Scrapbook of Hopes competition can be found at: literacytrust.org.uk/scrapbook-of-hopes.
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