A Starbucks-funded version of the NLT’s National Young Readers Programme.

Core funding support for the NLT to help the charity to grow and develop.

Joint campaigning and marketing to develop greater awareness of the literacy issue and how addressing it can help improve the future prospects of children and young people.

Impacts to date

·         Supported over 3,000 children in areas of disadvantage to choose over 9,700 free books and encourage them to develop a love of reading.

·         Successful volunteering by Starbucks partners in several locations, enabling us to build a strong structure to take further.

·         Over £13,000 raised by partners through challenge events and fundraising.

·         A series of Starbucks literacy breakfasts to enable the literacy, education and business sectors to come together to help the NLT develop important campaigning and policy activity.

Future aims for 2013

·         We will have supported over 23,000 children in disadvantaged

·         Hundreds of partners (employees) will have had the opportunity to volunteer in projects in more than 45 locations

·         We will have engaged customers to change lives through literacy through in-store and virtual campaigns.

Case studies

Project

Poor literacy skills compromise health, confidence and happiness, but we can tackle this.  One of the most effective ways of developing children’s literacy skills is to engage them in reading for pleasure. Our joint literacy projects target children in areas of disadvantage who are less likely to have books at home in order to encourage them to develop a life-long love of reading.

Raymond, aged 11, hadn’t read much before – “I just watched TV really”, but he loved the Harry Potter book he was helped to choose at the project and he found himself “addicted to them”. So much so that “my Mum was shouting at me to get out of the book but I didn’t hear her or know she was there”. He said that the library visited had helped him recognise books that he might be interested in and not just ‘get bad luck’.

“It was an excellent programme. The pupils gained so much from the experience and it certainly created a very positive atmosphere amongst everyone towards books and reading”

- Belfast teacher

Volunteering

 ‘It was our pleasure and privilege to be a part of the NLT event at Shirley Library. The event was well organised, informative and a lot of fun for the lovely children and all of us too! The children all were given a book to take home, given guidance on how to choose a book; showed their creative sides by making tactile books to share with their nursery class and had yummy snacks provided by Starbucks. I have now offered my assistance for the next two events in Shirley and Coulsdon Library as find the whole experience very fulfilling and worthwhile personally and for the children.’

- Teri Hall, Starbucks store partner (Croydon)

Fundraising

At the end of October 2009 four daring partners flew out to Tanzania to tackle the highest freestanding mountain in the world.  Over 10 days they trekked 100km to a height of 3000m.  As well conquering the physical challenge, they also each raised £3,500 in sponsorship! This is a fantastic achievement and the team should be extremely proud of themselves.  Well done to Jenny, Murray, Trudi and Claire.