Today, Bupa Foundation and Get Blackpool Reading announced a donation of 111 paperback copies of Bloomsbury Publishing’s The Book of Hopes to 37 primary schools in Blackpool, providing an essential boost of hope to children during the second national lockdown.
Get Blackpool Reading is a community-driven campaign we run in partnership with Blackpool Council and the Blackpool Opportunity Area to promote reading for pleasure among children and families to support their literacy development and improve their life chances.
Local schools have received The Book of Hopes, Bloomsbury’s collection of inspiring short stories, artwork and poems from more than 130 much-loved children’s authors, illustrators and poets. The book was launched and curated by author Katherine Rundell in response to the first national lockdown in April.
Children in Blackpool are also encouraged to enter the National Literacy Trust’s competition for all 5,000 schools who received the donations nationwide. The charity is requesting teachers and children share information on how they’re spreading optimism and hope in school and the community, taking inspiration from the artwork and writing in Bloomsbury’s original version.
Primary school teachers are asked to collate the work to create a Scrapbook of Hopes. Entrants will be in for a chance to win a set of Katherine Rundell’s best-selling books and exclusively signed artwork for their school library. One school will receive a virtual visit from Katherine Rundell.
The competition runs from 26 November until 31 January, and teachers should complete a short form and submit photos of their unique work to bookofhopes@literacytrust.org.uk.
“It is wonderful to see Bloomsbury’s magical The Book of Hopes providing much-needed light when the world seems rather gloomy. “As Blackpool remains in the midst of lockdown, I am delighted to be spreading the book’s joy, hope and happiness with primary schools acrossthe town. I cannot wait to see some of the entries to the Scrapbook of Hopes competition – I know schools in Blackpool have done so much already to keep spirits high in the most testing of years.”
Jillian Connolly, Manager of Get Blackpool Reading
More information on Bupa Foundation’s donation of 15,000 copies of The Book of Hopes and ideas, resources and inspiration for the Scrapbook of Hopes competition can be found at: literacytrust.org.uk/scrapbook-of-hopes.