BookTrust NI's care package initiative delivers 20,000 free books to families during lockdown

Published on: 22 July 2020 Author: BookTrust Northern Ireland

To help all children have access to books and the life-changing benefits that reading brings, BookTrust NI has been working hard to ensure that we continue to reach our beneficiaries, especially those who need us most.

Lockdown has been a challenging time for families and has limited many children’s access to education. BookTrust NI has joined forces with local partners to get resources of books and packs to families on the ground and have delivered almost 20,000 books across Northern Ireland to date.

These free resources have enabled partner organisations such as Sure Starts, Barnardos, foodbanks and more, to connect with their families via doorstep deliveries and encourage them to share stories together during this extended time at home.

Jill Wells, Speech and Language Therapist, South Belfast Sure Start, says:

'We have used the books in South Belfast to give out to families in our area during the coronavirus lockdown. This has enabled us to do socially distanced doorstep visits to connect with our families and check they are managing ok and provide any support they may need. Families have really appreciated getting a book and the children have been so excited to get a present.' 

BookTrust NI is incredibly thankful to its partners, who have become local community champions in distributing the books to families in safe and innovative ways to ensure that fewer children miss out on the benefits of shared reading.

If you have any queries about care packages in Northern Ireland, please email us.