How you can help get brand new books to struggling children this Christmas

Manchester Central Library Development Trust, the charity that supports the educational and cultural activities of Manchester Libraries, has launched a new cash appeal on JustGiving to help get brand new books to children and families. Find out more and donate here

Children who read do better at school and have more opportunities in life as they grow older. However, for many parents and guardians, buying new books for their children at Christmas time is a challenge. As the cost of living crisis continues, food and heating come first.

You can help book gifting

By donating to our book gifting appeal today – whatever you can afford – you will be giving the gift of reading to Manchester children and families, struggling to make ends meet.

Improving literacy and enabling children to fall in love with reading is central to Read Manchester and Manchester Libraries’ work. Through partnerships with hundreds of local organisations including schools, foodbanks, community groups, refuges and youth groups, the initiative gets brand new books to children that need them most – over 102,000 books have been gifted to children in Manchester in the last twelve months. But we need more funds to continue the good work.

Why book gifting is so important

According to research from the National Literacy Trust, reading for just 10 minutes a day can have astonishing benefits. Children and young people who like to read are three times more likely to have better mental health than those who don’t. Evidence shows that helping children to love reading is crucial to developing literacy skills. It enables children to succeed at school, helps them develop skills, and leads to healthier, happier lives.

Brendan O’Shea, Chair of Manchester Central Library Development Trust said:

“We know many families are still struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, but it’s important, more than ever, to help those far less fortunate than ourselves who can really benefit from our goodwill. Just £10 could provide two brand new books for children that really need them this Christmas.”

Your support can make a huge difference to book gifting

Thanks to public support, a whopping 10,000 books were gifted to 89 of our city’s community organisations for vulnerable families, over last year’s festive period. Children and families received books at all sorts of activities including events, parties and visits from Santa.

Abbey Hey Primary School handed out their books as gifts with food parcels to vulnerable families, one child said it was the first book of their own.

This Christmas, please donate to support book gifting

By donating to this appeal you will be helping to get books to children and families in Manchester that need them most during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

• £10 could provide two books for a struggling family this Christmas

• £20 could help four children receive a book of their own to read this winter

• £30 could provide a community foodbank with six books to distribute to local families