It will soon be International Literacy Day and to mark that occasion Cannock Soroptimists invited Beverley Ricketts to their meeting to explain Books4Home, an initiative Beverley has set up with Rotarians in the area. President Carole Holdcroft introduced Beverley as an amazing and inspirational person, known to her personally and to many other club members for many years. Beverley began by asking members if they had a favourite book from childhood – everyone had! Most went on to say that they had read and re-read the book, for themselves, to their own children and to their grandchildren, showing that a love of books and reading lasts forever; part of that love comes from actually handling the book, turning its pages and owning it.
Beverley gave the astonishing fact that in England only one in 3 girls and only one in every 4 boys actually have a book of their own at home. This led Beverley and Rotary District 1210 to develop a program to give children more opportunities to read and own books as it is well known that children who read well have a better chance to succeed in life than those who do not. Books are given to children of all ages and abilities. The Project works with schools throughout Staffordshire, Shropshire and parts of the West Midlands.
Pre-used books are donated to the Books4Home project and they are stored locally in a warehouse beautifully set out as a library. Schools involved are invited to visit the unit. The teachers and children enjoy time choosing around 200 donated books most suitable for their requirements. Once in school, the children choose books and take them home to read – and to KEEP! – or, they can bring them back and choose another, which they then again take home and keep. Replacement books are donated to the school when needed, usually once every term.
Eileen Cryer, another long standing friend of Beverley’s, gave the vote of thanks and told a delighted Beverley that members had, that night, brought along many books for the project: books suitable for all ages from 3 years up to the teenage years. They will continue to collect and donate books to the project to mark International Literacy day on September 8th to enable other children to know the joy of reading. If anyone wishes to know more about the project or wishes to donate books Beverley can be contacted on beverley@btinternet.com. There will also be a little information on the club’s facebook page: www.facebook.com/SICannock or on their website pages: www.sigbi.org/cannock-and-district/
Photo: Members of SI Cannock enjoying the books; Beverley and Eileen share a book [centre]; President Carole stands and reads just behind them