Children's Book Project - Signed 2025 Accounts - Flipbook - Page 4
This combined with the extraordinary platform Asda provided in 388 stores meant we reached families
nationwide and exceeded every gifting target we set. We gifted over half a million books this year – with a
total of 549k books via 658 schools, community groups and prisons. Each gifting event was delivered with
rigour ensuring every book is checked for quality, boxed and then presented within an event created to
ensure an engaging experience for the chlldren to support wider literacy initiatives within schools.
The importance of our volunteers
We’re proud to have achieved these goals with the support of a
primarily volunteer-based workforce, led by our committed team
leaders, and we simultaneously introduced and embedded effective
processes across all aspects of our operations to support our planned
growth in 2025-2026.
We continue to place huge importance on the value of our extensive
network of schools, corporates and wider stakeholder groups and this
year developed discrete communications with each of these. We
worked closely with teachers to develop the most impactful resources
to accompany our Discovery programme supporting the impact of our
gifted books. We defined our corporate partnerships offer and
diversified our sources of funding. We also forged stronger relationships
with charities across the literarcy sector to ensure we play a strategic
role in the upcoming National Year of Reading in 2026.
Looking ahead to 2026
Our culture and purpose drives our mission. We were delighted to welcome new supporters to join our work.
We benefited from the engagement of our valued corporate and community partners. We were delighted
that student volunteering extended this year with more young people keen to undertake community hours.
We were also excited to have our first patron, Lauren Laverne join us. We welcomed two new Trustees
bringing fresh perspectives to our future plans, working closely with our established and committed Board,
and appointed Ann-Janine Murtagh as the new Chair of Trustees in June.
In the year ahead, we’re launching One Million Stories, our boldest campaign yet. It will give more than
125,000 children across 1,000 schools and community groups the chance to choose and take home books a milestone made possible entirely through the innovation, generosity, and belief of our partners, volunteers,
team leaders and trustees.
The next chapter is bold but necessary. We’re not just gifting books. We’re changing childhoods. The
challenge ahead is significant and we will rise to this fuelled by the energy from the children we see alight
with excitement at every gifting event. At the heart of each event lies a powerful moment: a child choosing a
book they love and taking it home to keep forever.
Join us—and help write book poverty out of the story.
Annual Report & Financial Statements for year ended 30 June 2025 |
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