Family 'book bank' scheme needs your children’s books donations

The scheme was run previously at a number of local schools between 2013 and 2019 and is now relaunching following a break due to Covid.

The book bank is warmly received at local schools and gives all families access to fiction and non-fictions books for 3 to 15 years.

Cllr Flo Clucas cabinet member for safety and communities said: “Our children deserve the best possible start in life. We know that reading with children is one of the best ways to set them up for a bright future. We’re thrilled that the Inspiring Families book bank scheme will once again be up and running in schools and hope that over time the book bank donations will grow to benefit more local residents and that we will be able to offer even better choice.”

Charles Welsh, head of Gardners Lane and Oakwood Federation, said: “I’m delighted the Inspiring Families book bank scheme is returning. We want to encourage excitement in our young readers and offer as many opportunities and a wide variety of books for them as possible.”

Families are encouraged to keep the books that they love and return the ones they do not want to keep, along with other books from home they no longer need.

Louis Wilson, Inspiring Families project officer, continued: “To donate books to the scheme we ask for children’s books printed in the last ten years in new or gently used condition, meaning no missing covers or torn pages would be greatly appreciated.”

To make a donation please contact [email protected] or message the project through Facebook (@InspiringFamilieschelt) or twitter (@IFamilieschelt).

The books will then be sorted and boxed by volunteers, and will be available to collect from participating schools.

The initiative is part of the Inspiring Families project which co-ordinates a range of community based projects for local families, for further information email [email protected].

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