BATH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL LAUNCHES CROWDFUNDING APPEAL

Target: a free book for every child visiting the Schools Programme

As Bath prepares to welcome young audiences to its 17 th Bath Children’s Literature Festival (September 27 – October 6 2024) organisers behind the arts charity have launched a crowdfunding appeal to give schoolchildren in the south west a FREE new book each to take home.

They are inviting people to make donations to raise an initial £20,000 to ensure that schoolchildren from 44 schools across Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire attending the festival’s Schools Programme benefit from the gift of books.

As families buy festival tickets to come and meet their favourite authors and illustrators, the team behind the festival are aware that this pleasurable experience is not accessible to all children in the region.

“Having worked with hundreds of children across the south west over the years, we know that Bath is a city with one of the highest ranges of socio-economic indicators. Many families in our county and across the south west may not visit libraries, or have books at home. And this inevitably means some children are facing more of a struggle to improve their reading skills and to come to reading for pleasure,” says festival director and co-founder John McLay.

Recent government statistics show that 1 in 5 children in B&NES are living in relative poverty. This shocking statistic has motivated festival organisers to work towards getting more children access to books. Books are an essential part of learning about our world, exploring the imagination and a place to discover stories and the freedom to express yourself with an open mind and kindness.

This year’s Schools Programme will see thousands of primary and secondary school children from State run schools across the south west attend events where they will enjoy the experience of hearing and seeing authors and illustrators talk about their work. These talks and shows fire young imaginations and spark creativity, as well as fostering a life-long love of reading.

The Schools Programme, helping bring authors to events and helping schools take groups is funded by the Coles-Medlock Family Trust. In addition seven schools in Bath and North East Somerset receive extra funding support from St John's Foundation.

 Fleur Hitchcock, children’s book author, is a regular visitor to schools. She said: “The number of children I encounter during visits to schools who have never visited a library or a bookshop is growing year on year. And so many of them don't own a book of their own - Anything that would get books into the hands of children is well worth supporting and encouraging. Authors in schools without books are fun, authors in schools with books can change lives.”

Sophie Kirtley, another author who regularly goes into schools, said: “ALL young people in ALL schools deserve access to books, stories and creative inspiration - this is why I'm so proud to be part of the Bath Kids' Lit Festival Outreach programme this year. I love visiting schools, chatting about books and meeting young readers - it's a privilege and a joy.”

Jasbinder Bilan, author who goes into schools, also supports the campaign to give children books, she said: “Owning a book can truly change a young person’s future - it’s magical, special and transformative.”

“After experiencing the magical moment of meeting their favourite author or illustrator, children will be able to take the story home. Ensuring that the pages of each book go on to give them a safe place to explore their imagination and experience other worlds. We want to give every child the opportunity to take the joy of reading home and establishing a lifetime of discovery.” said Gill McLay, co-founder of Bath Children’s Literature Festival.

The initial target is to raise £20,000 to give EVERY child attending the Schools Programme this autumn a free book to take home. 

This would give 2,500 children the chance to take home their very own new book and to foster a love of reading in their homes. They would be given a signed copy of the book that is the subject of the talk they are attending. Sharing that renewed love of books with parents and wider family can also encourage new patterns of reading together for all generations.

Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/freebooksbath2024

How donations can help  

£5    Pays for one signed book for one child to take home from an author event or one ticket for one child to attend an event.

£25 Pays for signed books for five children, or five tickets for five children to attend the event.

£100 Buys 20 signed books for 20 children, or 20 tickets for twenty children to attend the event.

£250   Funds the hire of a coach to transport a class of children to a school author event at the festival.

 £1,000 Pays for a children’s author or illustrator to deliver an amazing and inspiring book event at the festival, buys a whole class of 30 children tickets to go the event, one signed book each to keep and the cost of coach hire to transport them from their school.

About Bath Children’s Literature Festival

Bath Children’s Literature Festival is now in its 17th year and is Europe’s largest dedicated children’s festival, running a variety of author and illustrator child-centred talks, workshops and events over 10 days, aimed at the ages of 0 - 14. This autumn’s festival features impressive line-up of author and illustrators, including internationally recognised names such as Katherine Rundell, Cressida Cowell and Michael Rosen.

Gill and John McLay, (founders of the Bath Children’s Literature Festival as well as Events of Wonder) have worked in the book industry for a combined 50 years.  After years of attending literature festivals, they became increasingly aware that authors and illustrators of children’s books weren’t being given the spotlight and headline status they deserved for themselves and children. Gill and John aim to deliver a festival that puts everyone’s favourite authors and illustrators centre stage and which celebrates young readers to be the future readers and changemakers of tomorrow.

The festival also runs an outreach programme which takes authors and illustrators into schools to work directly with children.

For the full Bath Children’s Literature Festival line-up and for tickets visit - https://bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature/whats-on/