Children at Churchfield Primary School in Highbridge, Hamp Academy and Bridgwater College Academy Primary were all smiles last week as they received a visit from Bridgwater MP Sir Ashley Fox, who presented Year 4 pupils at the schools with free books to kick off their summer reading adventures.
The visits are part of the new Read2Succeed campaign, spearheaded by Ashley Fox to promote literacy and inspire a love of reading among young people. The project complements the Summer Reading Challenge run by Somerset Libraries and ensures that every child taking part starts with a book of their own.
The campaign is being delivered in partnership with the team at Sydenham Community Centre, and backed by Persimmon Homes Severn Valley which donated £2,000 through its Community Champions programme to help fund the campaign and expand access to books for young readers.
Ashley Fox said, "Reading opens up a world of opportunity, and I want every child in the constituency to have that chance. It was a pleasure to visit all three schools, meet the pupils, and see their enthusiasm for reading. Schemes like this are about giving children the tools to succeed, and it can start with something as simple and powerful as a book. If we can help just one child discover the joy of reading, it will have been worth it.”
With strong local support and positive feedback from schools, Read2Succeed may grow to include more schools next year.
