At Bookmark, we want every child to read.

Currently, more than one in four children leave primary school unable to read well. Disadvantaged children are disproportionately affected, leaving primary school on average a year behind their peers. Furthermore, one in five children in the UK don’t own a book of their own at home.

Reading is about so much more than just books, it’s a cornerstone to feeling safe, secure, and independent. Without the ability to read, we would not be able to succeed in school, secure employment, or even understand a medical prescription.

Children who don't read well are more likely to drop out of school, become unemployed, or even have a shorter life expectancy.

Bookmark helps children develop the reading skills and confidence they need for a life of opportunity by delivering wrap-around support to schools which includes:

1) One-to-one six-week volunteer-led reading programmes - for children at risk of not meeting the expected standard in reading

2) Termly or one-off book backs - to support the development of engaging reading spaces and strong reading cultures in schools

3) Termly literacy magazine 'The Story Corner’ - delivered just ahead of the school holidays so that children have access to high quality reading materials at home

4) Providing additional support to teachers - through grants, literacy consultancy, support and training resources

This October 2024 a team of Bookmark supporters are taking on the Royal Parks Half Marathon to help children to discover the joy of reading.

Here are a few ways you could help them make every mile count:

£10 - could gift a school a book for their library, treasured by a child who might not own a book of their own

£25 - could gift 50 children their very own Bookmark Story Corner magazine to support reading at home

£100 - could gift seven headsets to a school so that children can complete Bookmark’s online reading programme

£240 - could gift a collection of brand new, diverse and engaging books to two schools to transform their libraries

£640 - could support one school to take part in Bookmark’s Comic Book Club, designed to engage reluctant readers by providing schools with a pack of graphic novels

£1,500 - could onboard eight new Bookmark volunteers, ensuring they are fully trained and able to deliver one-to-one reading sessions with children falling behind

Thank you for supporting Bookmark and for helping to change children’s life stories.