You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
Schoolchildren will be encouraged to cash in their World Book Day vouchers by visiting W H Smith stores as part of a partnership between the National Literacy Trust and retail landlord British Land.
British Land has committed £35,000 to fund projects in four communities close to its retail assets in Glasgow, Speke, Rotherham and Stockton-on-Tees as part of the National Literacy Trust’s Young Readers Programme.
In all, 11 schools will participate and 1,000 children will visit W H Smith stores throughout March, where they will engage in a variety of reading events featuring guest readers encouraging them to explore the £1 books produced exclusively for World Book Day 2012.
WH Smith is also donating vouchers to the participating schools to help them boost the school’s library.
Rachel Russell, WHS books director, said: “W H Smith has been a supporter of the National Literacy Trust for many years and we are pleased to have the opportunity to extend our work with the Young Readers Programme through this new partnership with British Land.
"Our staff are really excited about welcoming the 1,000 schoolchildren into our stores to join in the World Book Day celebrations and start to discover the pleasure of reading.”
Caroline Sence, who manages the programme for the National Literacy Trust added: "One in three children in the UK does not own a book of their own. Our nationwide programme, with support from British Land and its shopping parks, aims to tackle this deprivation in the most practical way."