A local publisher has doubled its book donation pledge to support children's literacy.
King’s Lynn-based Badger Learning made the commitment as part of the National Year of Reading, having already hit its initial target of £10,000 in just seven months.
The company, which specialises in accessible, high-interest books for children who find reading difficult, has been working with schools, charities and national organisations to get books into the hands of young readers.
Mark Daisley, commercial manager at Badger Learning, said: "We’re thrilled to be working with so many great organisations who are bringing our books to children in hospitals, charities who work with young people struggling with their mental health, and some of our local rural schools, who have very limited budgets to buy new books.
"We’ve decided that we will carry on donating more books this year and have doubled our commitment to £20,000 worth."
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Among the organisations to benefit from the scheme is the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, where children’s books have been distributed across various services.
Rebecca McMinn, charity manager at the hospital, said: "Books really are a magical tool in our patients’ development and recovery.
"These small milestones, enjoying a story, recognising words, sharing reading time, help pave the way along the path to recovery.
"We are truly touched that Badger Learning has chosen to support us and our patients."
The National Year of Reading aims to address falling rates of reading for pleasure among children and young people.
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Early feedback from the campaign suggests rising engagement, with more children reading during their free time and taking part in reading-related activities.
A central message of the campaign is “If You’re Into It, Read Into It,” which encourages children to read about topics that already interest them.
Football, gaming and graphic novels are proving popular in engaging today’s young readers.
To support the campaign, Badger Learning has launched National Year of Reading book collections for schools, along with free classroom resources and author videos.
This article has been published as part of Born & Read in Norfolk – a year-long initiative highlighting the importance of reading and writing, delivered in partnership with the National Centre for Writing, headline sponsor RWE and sponsor YouGarden.
Follow the campaign throughout the year in our coverage and on social media using #BornAndRead2026 or get in touch at readingmatters@newsquest.co.uk
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