Booktrust funding update... 27 December 2010

Statement from Department for Education and Viv Bird, CEO of Booktrust

Joint statement from Department for Education and Booktrust

'The Department for Education and Booktrust are determined to ensure that reading for pleasure is a gift every child can enjoy. That is why the DfE will continue to fund Booktrust book-gifting programmes in the future. Although the current contract will end in April the Department are talking to Booktrust about how to develop a new programme which will ensure that every child can enjoy the gift of books at crucial moments in their lives while ensuring we develop an even more effective way of supporting the most disadvantaged families to read together. The Department and Booktrust will be working together, with publishers, in order to ensure that we can make every possible saving in developing an enhanced programme.'‬

Statement from Viv Bird, CEO (Booktrust)

'I am delighted that Michael Gove has acknowledged the immense value of reading for pleasure and our bookgifting programmes - Bookstart, Booktime and Booked Up - by pledging to work with us to ensure that every child in England continues to receive the gift of books and the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of reading.

We have been overwhelmed by the huge and spontaneous show of support from parents, library staff, health visitors, teachers, authors and many others, who have lent their voices to our cause. Each and every one of them has played a vital role in keeping the reading for pleasure agenda alive over the past week or so.

Booktrust have always endeavoured to deliver excellent value programmes. During these challenging economic times we have worked particularly hard to make significant cost savings across all of our activities. We are looking to meet with the Department for Education early in the New Year to secure a financial commitment from the government and to discuss how we can develop the bookgifting programmes to ensure that they continue to offer the best possible value whilst retaining their extraordinary quality and reach.

Booktrust already supports disadvantaged families through tailored resources and guidance and we look forward to discussing with the Government how we can do even more for those families who are not confident around books and sharing stories with their children.'

Viv Bird

‪For media enquiries, please contact Will White (07826 937474) or Alice Ingall (07870 636 099)‬