All 39 East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) shops across the region are offering one free book per child for each week of the school holidays.
The campaign has already been well received, with plenty of positive comments from shoppers. Nicola Emerick, an EACH shop manager in Ipswich, said she was “loving how happy people are to get a free book”.
Lisa Thompson, from Suffolk, known for writing such novels as The Goldfish Boy, The Light Jar and The Day I Was Erased, was recently telling stories at Treefest, an annual mini-festival for families supported by EACH, staff and volunteers at The Treehouse, the charity’s hospice in Ipswich, and was impressed at the free books for kids initiative.
She said: “What a fantastic initiative this is and what a wonderful way to get kids reading this summer! Who knows where your free book might take you?”
EACH cares for hundreds of children and young people with life-threatening conditions, as well as supporting their families.
Ian Nicolson, EACH Head of Retail & Trading, said: “The magic created in children’s books can transport young readers to another world, taking them on a journey that can inspire them for years to come. At EACH, we appreciate the value of reading and know how precious family story time can be. Through the work we do, we help families make the most of their time together and create memories that last forever.”
EACH relies on voluntary donations for the majority of its income and needs to raise £6.4 million from fundraising and £4.9 million income from its shops.
Children up to age 14 are eligible for a free book as part of its new campaign. The maximum price of free books is £2. More information is available from EACH shops. For a full list of shops go to www.each.org.uk/shops.