Pupils from Water Orton School Primary in Water Orton, Coleshill celebrated World Book Day on Thursday 5th March with a bundle of new books for their school library, donated by Morrisons Coleshill.

The books were gifted to the school thanks to a partnership between the Morrisons Foundation and the National Literacy Trust. Working together, the charities aim to encourage 125,000 children from local communities discover a love of reading this World Book Day.

The books were presented to pupils by Tony McConville & Tracey Davis, Community Champions at the local Morrisons store in Coleshill, who said: “It’s a pleasure to be able to donate these new books to a local school. There’s a great selection of books, so every pupil will be able to find a story they will enjoy.”

This donation is part of a wider national project funded by the Morrisons Foundation in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, which is working to fill the bookshelves of 492 primary school libraries and reading spaces local to Morrisons branches all over the country with a collection of colourful, exciting and engaging new books published by Penguin Random House. This grant was awarded to the National Literacy Trust following their research which shows that children who enjoy reading and use their school library perform better in school and are happier with their lives.

Every book bundle will include a copy of Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties by children’s author Humza Arshad, who is also an ambassador for the partnership.

“We are thrilled to be working with Morrisons to bring the gift of reading to 125,000 children across the UK by getting brand new books into primary schools. School budgets are stretched, many school libraries are struggling and 1 in 11 disadvantaged children don’t have a single book of their own at home; so it has never been more important to get books into the schools that need them most. When children discover a love of reading, they do better at school and later in life, so we must do everything we can to inspire children to fall in love with reading for a lifetime.”

Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust

The Morrisons Foundation was set up by Morrisons supermarket in 2015 and awards grants for charity projects which help improve people’s lives. Since launching over £29 million has been donated to hundreds of charities across England, Scotland and Wales.