Not everyone has access to books, and sometimes playing it forward can make all the difference. We’re proud to be partnering with Bookbanks, a charity that brings books to foodbanks.
You can find out about Bookbanks below, or on their website. We will match any donations to our ‘Read it Forward’ scheme, and twice a year (or when we reach £200, whichever is sooner) we will donate the value in books to Bookbanks.
If you would like to contribute to the Read it Forward scheme, please get in touch or buy a gift card, making sure to add ‘Bookbanks’ to the comment section of your order.
About Bookbanks →
Bookbanks brings books to food banks. They work closely with food banks, using books and trained book professionals to create spaces for conversation, inspiration, literacy and community.
Why Bookbanks?
- Over 3 per cent of people in the UK (2.3 million) use food banks.
- 1 in 10 UK children does not own a single book.
- Being read to at the age of 5 is a significant protective factor against poverty at 30.
How Bookbanks works
Bookbanks partners with food banks to create enticing pop-up stalls of free books onsite.
From baby books to poetry, via cookbooks and classics, some are donated by bookshops, prizes and publishers. Others are given by individuals, including food bank guests. New, or in good condition, all are books that our guests can enjoy browsing and be proud to own.
Stalls are open every week, looked after by trained volunteers with a background in books. Bookbanks volunteers include librarians, authors, publishers and more; they all have a passion for books and widening access to them.
Bookbanks also hosts regular on-site events, such as author readings and writing workshops, further helping to transform food banks into spaces for conversation, inspiration, literacy and community.
Support Bookbanks by buying a gift card →
