£160,000 worth of books donated to Derbyshire schools for Your Story Corner Programme

We delivered over £160,000 worth of books to 80 primary schools in Derbyshire as part of our Your Story Corner Programme – an initiative aimed at supporting schools in disadvantaged areas to develop a whole school reading culture and foster a love for reading among their pupils.

Why Derbyshire? 

• In Derbyshire, 53% of children were under the expected KS2 reading levels – the lowest figures since 2019. 
• Around 17% of children are living in income-deprived households compared to the 21% UK national average. 
• On average, 32% of pupils in schools in Derby meet the requirements for free school meals.

Your Story Corner Programme

Our programme is designed to support the children who need it the most, especially in areas where disadvantaged pupils face the greatest challenges in literacy. By donating books and literacy resources, we aim to give children the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond.

One primary school that received the Story Corner packages was Grampian Primary Academy in Derby. We had the pleasure of celebrating the delivery of 200 diverse and high-quality books and reading materials, with nine excited pupils who helped to open the book bundle boxes.

Harry Heape

We were also joined by Indiana Bones author, Harry Heape, who conducted interactive literacy workshops with several classes throughout the day. 

Prior to the visit, we spoke with Harry about his own love for reading and how his experience with literacy has shaped his life.

Escapism through reading

For Harry reading is more than a skill – it’s a gateway to adventure and imagination. He said that reading ​“fuelled [his] imagination and took [him] into different worlds”. 

He describes reading as an escape and said ​“you can go anywhere in a book. Hogwarts, Treasure Island, back in time to Ancient Egypt, or into the deepest corners of the universe. The possibilities are infinite.” He relates this back to why he started writing, stating it’s an opportunity for him to ​“disappear into endless made up places”. 

As a dad of three girls, Harry cherishes the shared joy of reading. He described a particularly memorable moment with his daughter; they read a chapter that was so funny they ​“laughed [their] socks off until [their] sides ached” – this sparked Harry’s passion to write funny stories for children.

The magic of writing

For Harry, writing is a mix of creativity, problem-solving and humour. He describes it as ​“a wonderful cross between a daydream and a jigsaw puzzle”, where he enjoys transforming ideas into fun stories. 

Humour is pivotal to Harry’s books, driving him to write with silliness and playfulness. He said ​“I tell the stories in the books, it is my voice and so I try to make my voice say silly things, play with words, much about”. 

While humour is central, he also recognises the importance of character development and an interesting plot, claiming ​“heart is maybe more important than humour”. He highlights that there are many messages in his books that promote kindness, fairness, adventure and friendship.

One particular aspect he emphasised, was the importance of female protagonists. He said ​“with three daughters, it felt important for me to write female leads who were daring, brilliant and fun”. These characters are central to his stories, offering young girls an empowering and inspirational element.

Tackling the literacy crisis

Harry feels concerned about the state of literacy among children, describing it as a nationwide ​“crisis” that needs to be at the top of the government’s agenda. 

He emphasises the undeniable link between reading and poverty and highlights how fundamental reading skills are to succeed in school and beyond. He said ​“all children should have access to books through schools and libraries. Reading is a tool for doing well at school and being able to function as an adult, when you leave school.”

Harry recognises the importance of programmes that emphasise reading for pleasure. Through supporting Bookmark, Harry can foster a love for reading through visiting schools and inspiring children to read books they enjoy.