Avanti West Coast gets on board with reading campaign by donating hundreds of books
Train Operator joins up with Little Box of Books to provide diverse and inclusive titles to schools for children to enjoy.
- Train operator collaborates with Little Box of Books as part of campaign
- Selection of titles donated on World Book Day to schools across network
- Budding bookworms received a selection of inclusive and diverse literature
Avanti West Coast has teamed up with a children’s book company to donate hundreds of titles to primary schools across its network to help improve reading skills.
The train operator is supporting Little Box of Books to provide a diverse and inclusive selection of literature to schools to encourage and celebrate the joy of reading.
Little Box of Books has recently launched a campaign to work with businesses so that every child has the opportunity to become a reader.
Books being provided are specifically chosen to be representative, so children see more of themselves in stories they read helping better understand the world and their place in it.
As part of World Book Day, boxes containing 100 storybooks were delivered to 11 schools across the West Coast Main Line route including Lancaster, Runcorn, Manchester, Crewe, Liverpool, Macclesfield, Stockport and Penrith.
The support for the initiative is part a wider strategy adopted by Avanti West Coast aimed at children and young people which includes a schools engagement programme about careers in rail.
Helen Diksa, Executive Director of Human Resources, at Avanti West Coast, said: “We are really proud to be supporting Little Box of Books to help children discover the delights of reading, as it is so important to pick up a book at an early age.
“At Avanti West Coast one of our aims is to connect young people with opportunity which is why we got involved in this fabulous initiative.”
Founder and Director of Little Box of Books, Lynsey Pollard, said: “Reading is the most crucial skill for all children. Little Box of Books is on a mission to get more inclusive books into as many primary schools as we can and we’re so grateful for Avanti West Coast’s support.
“The books we feature reflect the society we live in, in all its multicultural and diverse brilliance, because everyone deserves to see themselves in a leading role.”
- Main image: Avanti West Coast On Board Customer Service Assistant Bianca Dennis with one of the books that will be donated to schools
Contact Information
Notes to editors
About Little Box of Books
Little Box of Books specialises in delivering inclusive and representative books to families and schools. The aim of the organisation is to help more children see themselves in the books they read and to help all children better understand the world and their place in it.
The book boxes from Little Box of Books show diversity in race, culture, family set up and relationships, they also include representations of disability and gender roles. Boxes are available for schools, as gifts or monthly subscriptions. There are book boxes for 0-3 year olds, 4-7 year olds and 8-11 year olds.
Little Box of Books are passionate about literacy and every child being given the opportunity to fall in love with reading, helping them to fulfil their potential and achieve their dreams.
To join the campaign and support schools with book donations and resources head to www.littleboxofbooks.co.uk/business-memberships
For more information visit www.littleboxofbooks.co.uk
About Avanti West Coast
Avanti West Coast, operator of intercity rail services on the West Coast Main Line, is a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, delivering a cleaner, greener railway that drives the West Coast forward.
We’re on a mission to revolutionise train travel, linking together the towns and major cities of the UK to create an iconic railway the country can be proud of. We’ve got big plans including a fleet of new intercity trains, as well as the complete refurbishment of the existing Pendolino train fleet. We will introduce more train services every week with new routes added, and a much-improved onboard service with enhanced free Wi-Fi, plug sockets, 25,000 brand new seats and improved catering. Since 8 December 2019, passengers have benefitted from improved passenger compensation, available for journeys delayed by just 15 minutes.
For the latest news, visit the Avanti West Coast Media Room: https://newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Press Office: 0845 000 3333