Give Books To Those In Need This Christmas
I'll tell you how
A few years ago I ran a little Christmas campaign two years running in the town where I live. I asked shoppers to put one extra present in their shopping basket (even if it was just a box of chocolates from Poundland), and I arranged for various local businesses to accept their donations. Then, I organised a wrapping party where volunteers came and wrapped the gifts, labelling them for mums, or boys, or girls, with an age range, and we delivered them all to the local women’s refuge before Christmas.
The response was incredible, the first year we took around 500 presents, the second year 800.
The whole campaign became larger than I could handle, and it also meant I needed to give up each December, and at the time my daughter was young and it was only on December 24th that I got round to thinking about her Christmas, so it was something I wasn’t able to keep up each year sadly. But, for those couple of years I felt I was really making a difference, and it gave me so much pleasure to think of those who might not be able to afford presents waking up to stacks of them on Christmas morning.
I am a big believer in making a difference anyway you can, of stretching out your reach and doing what you can within your own wingspan. It we all did that, what a great world we would live in.
There are many people up and down the country who do this all year round, not just at Christmas. But I think for the rest of us, Christmas is an opportunity to stop and ask what we can do for those less fortunate.
Last night I attended a wonderful Substack do where writers like
, and gave readings on the topic of togetherness. Pandora Sykes read from the introduction of What Writers Read, impressing on us the importance of books and literature on children and the fact that so many children don’t have access to books. It made me think, and it gave me an idea, which I thought you might like to help with.Some of you know that I had a pop-up bookshop a couple of years ago, and sometimes I do little stalls selling the stock I have left, but rather than it sitting redundant in my understairs cupboard, I thought wouldn’t it be better served making a difference?
I have spoken to my local food bank, who have agreed to accept donations of books from me to go to mums and kids at the local women’s refuge and the homeless shelter. So I have bundled up the stock I have left into packages, and I thought we could share the cost of donating it to them. I will give away these books at cost, and if you could buy them at cost we’ve sort of given 50/50 and they could go to someone who would really love them this Christmas.
I’ve bundled them up as follows:
A kid’s selection of five books — the price to donate this is £25:
A mum’s selection of three books — the price to donate this is £15:
And a young adult selection of two books — the price to donate this is £10:
If you could see your way to sponsoring these books going to the local food bank please email me: annawharton@substack.com
I will send you a photo of the bundle you’ve paid for, drop it off at the local food bank and then you can enjoy your Christmas imagining the delight you have offered someone in the form of books.
Obviously I only have a limited supply so do get in touch quickly if you would like to sponsor a bundle, but what do you reckon? I think this is a rather nice way of us booklovers and writers spreading Christmas cheer.
Also, is there an Altrusa in your community? There’s a small but mighty one in my town. We give books to children (and scholarships to college-bound kids). Join your local chapter or give them money!
What a brilliant idea, I’ve just emailed you. Hx