Peterborough primary schools benefit from 200 book donation as children encouraged to join new competition

The donation of the 204 books has been made by Bupa Foundation and Peterborough Reads to help children during the current lockdown.

Peterborough Reads is a campaign delivered by the National Literacy Trust, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, to inspire families to read together and support children’s literacy skills.

The campaign helps to equip children with the literacy skills they need to start school as well as supporting them as they transition from primary to secondary school.

Local schools have now received The Book of Hopes, Bloomsbury’s collection of inspiring short stories, artwork and poems from more than 130 much-loved children’s authors, illustrators and poets. The book was launched and curated by author Katherine Rundell in response to the first national lockdown in April.

Children in Peterborough are also being encouraged to enter the National Literacy Trust’s competition for all 5,000 schools who received the donations nationwide. The charity is requesting teachers and children share information on how they are spreading optimism and hope in school and the community, taking inspiration from the artwork and writing in Bloomsbury’s original version.

Primary school teachers are asked to collate the work to create a Scrapbook of Hopes. Entrants will be in for a chance to win a set of Katherine Rundell’s best-selling books and exclusively signed artwork for their school library. One school will receive a virtual visit from Katherine Rundell.

The competition runs until January 31 and teachers should complete a short form and submit photos of their unique work to [email protected].

National Literacy Trust research shows that reading for pleasure improves mental wellbeing, with more than half (59 per cent) of children saying reading in lockdown this spring made them feel better and half saying it inspired them to dream about the future.

Sally Atkinson, manager of Peterborough Reads, said: “Bloomsbury’s magical Book of Hopes provides a much-needed light when the world seems rather dark. The digital copy was really popular, and now that the book is published even more children can explore the uplifting stories and messages. As Peterborough remains in the midst of its second lockdown I’m delighted that we can share something positive with our primary schools.

“I hope local children feel inspired to capture their own moments of hope and it will be wonderful to see what they can achieve when working together as a whole school – I can’t wait to see some of the entries for the Scrapbook of Hopes competition.”

Katherine Rundell, author and curator of Bloomsbury Publishing’s The Book of Hopes, said: “I started The Book of Hopes at a moment when the world looked very bleak, and having such a tsunami of joy and delight in my inbox, as more than 100 illustrators and writers sent in their work, was transformative.

“I am so vastly glad that 15,000 copies of the book will reach the kids who need hope most, will be read and pored over and laughed at and covered in food stains and underlined and loved.”

Alex Cole, chair of the Bupa Foundation, said: “The Bupa Foundation is proud to support this important initiative to put The Book of Hopes into the hands of children who might need it the most. The National Literacy Trust has shown the valuable and important link between literacy and the wellbeing of children and young people.

“We cannot wait to see entries to the Scrapbook of Hopes competition from primary schools and hear how children have spread hope, kindness and a love of reading within their communities.”

More information on Bupa Foundation’s donation of 15,000 copies of The Book of Hopes and ideas, resources and inspiration for the Scrapbook of Hopes competition can be found at: literacytrust.org.uk/scrapbook-of-hopes.