15,000 people send their favourite books to readers overseas
From 11th-15th October, 15,000 people will donate their best-loved books in a UK-wide initiative to benefit the world's poorest readers.
We are a self-confessed nation of booklovers - an estimated 286 million books were purchased last year in the UK. From the Man Booker Prize to Richard and Judy's Book Club, the UK is passionate about books and reading. In such a book-rich society, it is almost impossible to imagine life without well-lined shelves at home, enticing bookshops on the high street and online, and our reliable local libraries.
It's a stark contrast to life in Africa where most people will never be able to afford a book of their own. In fact, the poorer a country is, the more important books become. Wherever resources are really scarce, books are the principal tools for learning. They educate, stimulate the imagination and empower people to make choices in their lives.
'Bring a Book Week' will help thousands of disadvantaged readers to develop their literacy skills. 15,000 people from seven major companies will spend the week thinking about books they and their family have enjoyed and want to share. Employees will be able to 'bring a book' to work, and their employer will cover the cost of getting that book into the hands of a reader overseas.
Donated favourites could range from the Mr Men to Motor Vehicle Technology; Jilly Cooper to Encyclopaedia Britannica! Books which are beloved in the UK will be relevant to the variety of readers in the developing world. Titles collected will be carefully processed and targeted to the readers who need them most, by the London based charity Book Aid International.
HSBC Private Bank CEO Clive Bannister is delighted his company is a part of the initiative, and urged his staff and their families to share their books: 'We all benefit from books in our schools, libraries and families, and we should all support this initiative. I encourage each and every one of you to look through your bookshelves at home, and find books for those schools, libraries and families who have not been so fortunate'.
'Bring a Book Week' is in its second year, and runs from 11th-15th October 2004. There are plans in place for this to become a regular annual event, inspiring even more UK booklovers to share their passion for reading with those unable to afford even the most basic texts. Simalike Mwantila from the Itili Women's Training Centre in Tanzania is one of the many readers who benefited from 'Bring a Book Week' in 2003. Simalike wrote to say:
'I take this opportunity to thank you! thank you! thank you!! very much for the books you sent us... It is very valuable material... Our staff, rural women, women group leaders, Youths and Community will benefit a lot as they learn from these books. Once again, thank you for this precious gift'.
For more information about how you can get involved in 'Bring a Book Week' contact Lesley Pinder on 020 7733 3577 or by email.