Children turn their first pages on the path to future success 

Each year, to help children discover a love of books and reading, the World Book Day charity gives children across the country, through schools and other outlets, free World Book Day tokens which they can exchange for World Book Day books at bookshops.

Once again this year, the charity also chose Hartlepool Borough Council as one of a number of local authorities around the country to be given free books, including a number of titles donated by publishers.

Pupils at all Hartlepool’s primary and secondary schools have been exchanging their World Book Day tokens for a World Book Day book of their choice at Community Hub Central and Community Hub South – and it’s still not too late to do so as the offer runs until Saturday 22nd March.

(From left) One-year-old Maddie Seago and her mum Emily Vickers exchange their token for a book from Councillor Pamela Hargreaves while Oliver Fulthorp, also aged one, receives his new book from Councillor Gary Allen

It’s part of the charity’s national mission to improve children’s access to books and provide them with opportunities to develop a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure.

It’s an initiative that’s wholeheartedly supported by Hartlepool Borough Council, which recently launched a Hartlepool Literacy Task Force in partnership with local firms and organisations to boost adult literacy in the town and unlock residents’ full potential.

Councillor Gary Allen, Chair of the Council’s Adult and Community-Based Services Committee, said: “We would like to thank the World Book Day charity for its support again this year – we are always delighted to be able to take part in the token exchange through our fantastic Community Hubs that are doing so much to help encourage families in Hartlepool to build their reading skills.”

“It’s a marvellous way to get children reading - sometimes for the very first time. Not only is reading one of the most crucial skills for life, opening a book means embarking on a journey of discovery and adventure and is a unique pleasure in its own right.”

Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Chair of the Council’s Economic Growth and Regeneration Committee – who is leading the Hartlepool Literacy Task Force – said: “More than a third of Hartlepool adults have very low levels of literacy, drastically affecting their life chances and those of their families, which is why we launched the Task Force to ensure we have a skilled local workforce that can make the most of the opportunities that will come from our multi-million pound regeneration of the town.

“So I’m really excited to see children starting out on this path by coming into our Community Hubs to collect their free books and enjoy the reading and storytelling sessions.”