In today’s throwaway society, finding sustainable ways to support local communities has never been more important. This week, we reached a significant milestone in our ongoing community outreach programme, delivering hundreds of pre-loved books to families who need them most.
According to the National Literacy Trust, 9 out of 10 (90.2%) children and young people aged 5 to 18 in the UK had a book of their own at home; therefore, 1 in 10 (9.8%) did not. We are here to change that. We think all children should have access to books, and this scheme is going to support many families who are going through this issue.
Access to books remains a significant barrier for many families across the Midlands. With the cost of living crisis affecting household budgets, purchasing new reading materials often falls to the bottom of priority lists. Meanwhile, perfectly good books sit unused in homes across the UK, eventually destined for landfill.
This week marked an important chapter in our community initiative as we partnered with whg, a leading housing organisation supporting over 22,000 homes throughout the Midlands. Our team delivered 800 pre-loved books to their headquarters, all destined for their innovative Kindness Pop-Up Shop.
The Kindness Pop-Up Shop represents whg’s commitment to their residents, offering free access to essential items including:
This valuable resource allows families in the whg community to access items they might otherwise struggle to afford, creating a supportive environment where dignity and choice remain central.
Our donation serves multiple purposes. Beyond supporting literacy and learning for hundreds of children, this initiative diverts 800 books from potentially ending up in landfill. This circular approach to community support demonstrates how simple actions can have profound environmental benefits.
Reading remains one of the most powerful tools for development and opportunity. Books help children to:
By ensuring these books find new homes rather than waste bins, we’re helping to nurture the next generation of readers, thinkers and leaders.
This delivery of 800 books represents just the beginning of our partnership with whg. We’re committed to continuing our support of their remarkable community work through:
Consider donating your gently-used books to our collection points. Every book makes a difference to a child who might otherwise go without.
As we reflect on the delivery of these 800 books, we’re reminded that sometimes the smallest actions create the biggest smiles. By connecting communities and resources, we’re helping to build a more sustainable, literate and connected society.
We look forward to sharing more updates as our partnership with whg continues to grow, delivering not just books, but opportunities, to families across the Midlands.
