Earlier this spring, The Studio in Manchester partnered with local children’s charity Wood Street Mission to collect donations for the Books Forever Appeal. As part of the project, visitors to the venue were invited to help fill an entire row of shelves with books for children. Through the Book Roadshow events organised in schools, these texts would be distributed throughout the local area, ensuring that every child has a book to take home and keep.
One Education is truly passionate about the transformative power of education. So, when we returned to The Studio for our Leadership in Education Conference, we were thrilled to take on the challenge. As long term supporters of Wood Street Mission, we wholeheartedly endorse their mission to improve the lives of children and young people through reading.
We are very proud to donate £600 worth of books to support this incredible cause. With help from our partners, Peters Books, we were able to fill not just one shelf, but an entire bookcase with a vast array of diverse and high-quality texts. Thank you to Peters Books for their own generous donation of £100!
“Thank you so much for your support One Education and of course for the fabulous selection of books. The children we support will be delighted #BooksForeverAppeal.”
Des Lynch, CEO of Wood Street Mission
Research shows that book ownership is closely linked with reading for pleasure and regular reading habits, which helps to increase literacy and improve pupil outcomes. However, a third of children who receive free school meals report that they have fewer than ten books at home. Nearly one in ten say they have none at all.
One Education has been privileged to work with many schools to enhance their Reading offer and inspire the next generation of readers. We are delighted to be able to continue this mission outside of the classroom, ensuring that every child has a book of their own to read at home. By promoting a love of literacy and learning, we believe we can help to break the cycle of poverty and transform our children’s life chances.
A huge thanks to the One Education team, our colleagues in schools and trusts, and everyone else who contributed their own donation. By sharing the joy and power of reading, we can each play our part in making Manchester a progressive and equitable city for all.
If you would like to support the Books Forever project, please visit the Wood Street Mission website to find out how you can get involved.
