Asda launches a nationwide initiative encouraging the donation of pre-loved children’s books, aiming to bolster community access to literature.
- The initiative is in partnership with the Children’s Books Project, a literacy charity aiding the redistribution of books to local families.
- A prior trial in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, and London was successful, accumulating over 6,000 donated books.
- The scheme is set to operate in over 388 Asda stores, with dedicated donation points available for customer convenience.
- Asda aims to involve 20,000 children in book gifting events through schools and community groups, leveraging donated books.
Asda has announced a new nationwide scheme designed to encourage the donation of pre-loved children’s books. This initiative aims to enhance community access to literary resources by partnering with the Children’s Books Project.
The collaboration with this literacy charity is fundamental in facilitating the redistribution of books to families in local communities. By doing so, Asda aims to make literature more accessible to children without cost barriers.
A successful pilot in cities such as Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, and London, where over 6,000 books were donated, forms the foundation of this broader campaign. This success has inspired the supermarket chain to expand the scheme across more regions.
The scheme will be implemented in more than 388 Asda stores nationwide. Customers are encouraged to participate by dropping off any unwanted books into donation trolleys, which are prominently placed at the store entrance. This initiative is overseen by the store’s Customer and Community Champion.
In addition to book donations, Asda aims to engage 20,000 children in book gifting festivals organised by their schools or community groups, ensuring a broader impact of this charitable effort. The initiative complements Asda’s other community-focused campaigns, such as the Cashpot for Schools campaign which recently raised £1.1m for primary schools.
Carolyn Francis, Asda’s local community adviser, expressed the significance of the scheme: ‘All children should be able to access a book without the cost being a barrier.’ She highlights the dual benefit of the initiative as a means for families to clear out books and simultaneously contribute to the community.
The scheme represents Asda’s commitment to enhancing literacy and accessibility to books for children across the United Kingdom.
