Rochdale readers receive £58,000 donation

MCRJourno

Hundreds of children in Rochdale will gain access to brand-new books thanks to a £58,000 donation from Bookmark Reading Charity.

As part of its 'Your Story Corner' programme, the national literacy charity will provide 29 local schools around greater Manchester with engaging, high-quality books and resources to foster a love of reading.

Literacy is a growing concern in the area, where children face significant challenges such as 43% of children living in relative poverty - compared to a national average of 20%.

Research also suggests that Key Stage 2 pupils in Rochdale are more likely to struggle with reading than the national average, meaning that literacy resources are in high demand.

To help close the gap, Bookmark is distributing over 200 new books per school along with teacher resources and interactive learning materials.

One of the first schools to benefit is Moorhouse Academy, where children unboxed their books last week joined by local children’s author Andy Seed, who led an engaging literacy workshops.

Rochdale is one of nine new areas targeted over the next three years, with the charity aiming to support 500 schools across the country.

Emily Jack, CEO of Bookmark Reading Charity said: "Our vision is simple, we want every child to read.

"By supporting schools in Rochdale, we are ensuring more children experience the joy of books but we won’t stop here - over the next three years we aim to reach 1,000 schools."

The charity is now calling on volunteers to make a difference, saying that just one hour a week reading with a child online or in person could change a child’s future.

Find out more at www.bookmarkreading.org/volunteer