Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey, Rachel Reeves joined pupils from all years at Co-op Academy Beckfield in Tyersal to browse for books at their Pop-Up Bookshop event.
Every child is given the opportunity to take home two free books of their own, to talk about their favourite books and to celebrate their love of reading.
Ms Reeves said: “It was fantastic to visit Co-op Academy Beckfield in Tyersal and attend the Pop-Up Bookshop by the Children’s Book Project. It was great to speak to so many enthusiastic young readers and see first-hand the brilliant work of the Children’s Book Project!”
The Pop-Up Bookshop, put on by national children’s literacy charity the Children’s Book Project, is one of several planned for primary schools across Leeds West & Pudsey, giving over 5,000 children locally the opportunity to choose books on a regular basis that they feel excited about and want to read and share at home.
The Children’s Book Project seeks to tackle book poverty, gifting surplus new and pre-loved books to children that have very few books of their own.
Co-op Academy Beckfield’s focus on creating engaged readers made them the ideal hosts for such an event, which recreates an immersive bookshop experience using hundreds of carefully chosen books donated by the charity plus posters, bunting, bookmarks and stickers to further capture imaginations.
Headteacher Caroline Watkiss said: “At Beckfield, we make it our mission for all children to leave us being fluent, confident readers. Working with the Children’s Book Project gives us the chance to connect children with books they can choose for themselves and keep; books they can share and recommend with others; books they can love.
“The impact of this can be truly transformative, especially when this might be a child’s first experience of owning a book. To see the children’s faces light up when they see what’s on offer for them at the Pop-Up Bookshop is wonderful.”
Children’s Book Project Founder and CEO Liberty Venn said: “We are absolutely thrilled that Co-op Academy Beckfield was able to host such a celebratory Pop-Up Bookshop today and that MP Rachel Reeves was able to visit and see first-hand the powerful impact of our charity’s core model, which makes use of surplus children’s books to change futures.”
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