Here at Agent, we think every child should have the chance to experience the magic of a good book, so we were heartbroken to learn from the National Literary Trust last year that over one million children in the UK don’t even own one.
For the fourth year of our cherished ‘All You Read is Love’ campaign, we were more determined than ever to give the gift of reading to young people across the North West for Christmas, and to hand-deliver the books to some of the best charities and organisations across the region.
And this year, we had a secret weapon!
It’s impossible to overstate the hand our friends and partners at Publiship had in this year’s campaign. In one day, they alone donated £14,000 worth of the most beautiful children’s books. The day they were delivered to our Liverpool studio there were boxes stacked from floor to ceiling. You couldn’t move for books!
And, of course, this year’s campaign also followed its continued theme of supporting emerging authors, as well as those from underrepresented groups, such as LGBTQ+ and BAME communities. We also championed donations of second-hand books and those purchased from local independent retailers.
What’s more, this year we had our first ever festive read-a-long! Hosted by the wonderful Natalie Denny, she treated some eager young readers to an extract from her children’s book “Keisha Jones takes on the World”, as well as signing a copy for them each to take home.
What did our CEO, Paul Corcoran, have to say?
“We started this campaign aiming to inspire a love for reading among young minds and provide them with the tools to explore new worlds through literature.
“Thanks to the generosity and support of our valued partners and the wider community, we have not only achieved but exceeded our ambitious goal. We are hugely grateful to everyone that’s supported the campaign – and there’s still time to get involved!”
Mark Bartlett, ESG Manager at Publiship, said:
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Agent for ‘All You Read is Love’. It’s heart-warming to know that through this campaign, we are instilling a love for reading and improving literacy levels among young individuals facing challenges. We are grateful to everyone who has supported this initiative and there’s no better time to get involved and make a difference.”
Once again, we’d like to say a massive thanks to everyone who donated and supported the campaign, and if you’d like to know more about, or lend your support to some of the amazing charities, schools, and organisations we donated to this year, you can find them below:
Manchester Youth Zone, Manchester
MYZ provides a safe space for young people aged 8-19 (up to 25 with additional needs) to raise their aspirations and enjoy healthier, happier lives. The charity enables young people the opportunity to try new things that will increase their confidence and help them reach goals that will set them up to chase their dreams.
Perry’s Pantry Foodbank, Manchester
Perry’s Pantry is a foodbank based in Didsbury which provides emergency food parcels to the people of South Manchester living in poverty.
Kirkdale St Lawrence CofE Primary School, Liverpool
After are delivery of books to Kirkdale St Lawrence this year, we received this amazing message from headteacher Jo Campbell, highlighting why campaigns like these are so important.
Cash for Kids, Manchester and Liverpool
Cash for Kids are on a mission to make sure that Christmas comes for every child. They are a wonderful organisation, and we were thrilled to be able to donate several boxes of books to their cause.
The First Step, Liverpool
The First Step is a multi-gender agency which aims to offer comprehensive support and protection for people experiencing domestic violence. It aims to do this by providing existing services to sufferers of domestic violence and developing new services where necessary.
The Florrie, Liverpool
The Florrie is a charity that has been at the heart of the L8 community for over 130 years. It is a social, cultural, educational and charitable hub for the people of South Liverpool, offering a wide variety of participatory activities for people of all ages, food support through The Florrie Community Shop & Community Café and hosts a huge range of cultural, musical & artistic events & exhibitions throughout the year.
Fire Fit Hub, Liverpool
Based in the heart of South Liverpool, FireFit Youth and Community Hub is a cornerstone of the charity Torus Foundation. Its state-of-the-art facilities provides young members and the wider community access to a wealth of sporting and wellbeing opportunities, seven days a week.
Centre 56, Liverpool
Centre 56 is a domestic abuse charity in the heart of North Liverpool. It puts children first, providing childcare, information and support for families and children who have suffered or are at risk of domestic abuse or crisis.
KIND, Liverpool
KIND provide activities, services and experiences that show children that they, and life, have more to offer; helping them to reach their potential and be the best they can.
Everton in the Community, Liverpool
Everton in the Community is one of the UK’s top sporting charities and firmly established on the world stage of community sports development. As the Blues’ official charity, it is considered one of the Premier League’s leading community schemes due to the quality and reach of its various programmes.