On Wednesday 6 March, the National Literacy Trust in Peterborough teamed up with the Peterborough United Foundation to celebrate World Book Day and inspire a love of reading in hundreds of the city’s children.
Local schools were invited to take part in a treasure hunt throughout the city, visiting important local landmarks – from Cathedral Square to the Weston Homes Stadium, including the Town Hall, the Lido and the Key Theatre – to solve clues and collect the 10 letters that spelled out where their World Book Day books were waiting for them.
The National Literacy Trust and World Book Day are working together to deliver over 1,000 free copies of the £1 World Book Day books directly to children in Peterborough.
"We’re bringing World Book Day out of the classroom and into Peterborough city centre – to make reading and choosing your own book an exciting and engaging event for all children. Families facing high levels of disadvantage are less likely to engage with reading and literacy and don’t get the same opportunities to attend events or have new books at home, and this is one of our favourite days of the year to work to change that, making the magic of stories accessible for everyone."
Becky Marrs, Manager for the National Literacy Trust in Peterborough
With research showing that children’s reading for enjoyment levels are at their lowest in almost two decades, and over half of children in the East of England not reading for fun in their free time, the charity World Book Day’s annual celebration is an important moment to inspire children to read for pleasure and provide more children a chance to benefit from the improved life chances that reading for pleasure brings.
Having a book of their own at home and celebrating reading with those around them can increase a child’s enjoyment of reading and their reading frequency, which in turn unlocks vital literacy skills that can help them thrive and develop a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure. Literacy skills are essential and can give a child the power to shape their own future – from more access to job opportunities, to supporting mental wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem, and ensuring that if they become parents themselves, they can support their own child’s learning.
"We are delighted to work with the National Literacy Trust again for this year’s World Book Day. One of our key objectives within the Peterborough United Foundation is to help raise reading and educational attainment levels in the city and today’s event, along with our school sessions through the Premier League Primary Stars programme, offers primary school children encouragement to succeed."
Gavin Slater, School Sports Manager at Peterborough United Foundation
