Asda puts on surprise storytelling spectacular for Hugh Gaitskell Primary School

The initiative launched by Asda enables customers across the UK to donate pre-loved children’s books in-store, for onward gifting to families with fewer books of their own.

Since the launch of the partnership in September 2024, over 100,000 books have already been collected, which means that the equivalent of over 50 primary schools full of children receiving at least 2 new books each.

Asda community champions will also be hosting reading activities and bringing ‘StoryTelling Magic’ to life in their stores and local communities in partnership with BBC’s Tiny Happy People.

The Children’s Book Project is on a mission to tackle book poverty in childhood. They take donations of surplus new and pre-loved books and gift them via schools, community groups and food banks to children that have very few books of their own.

In over 388 Asda superstores, including stores across Leeds, local families are invited to donate any books they’ve grown out of, dropping them into a dedicated donation trolley hosted by the store’s Community Champion.  Together the two organisations expect to give over 20,000 children the chance to participate in book gifting festivals hosted by their school or community group, where they will be able to choose and take home, books of their own.

Book poverty has a measurable impact on children’s social and emotional development, as well as their education outcomes, and the charity’s core mission chimes with Asda’s wider, ongoing initiatives to support low-income families. Through this partnership more children will have the chance to choose books they are excited about, to share stories with their wider family and to lose themselves in a story.

Asda Middleton Community Champion Sarah Robbin said:

“It was absolutely brilliant to see the smiles on the children’s faces and they came into the hall that had been transformed into a magical storytelling space. They had lots of fun and went home with new books to read and enjoy. All children should be able to access a book without the cost being a barrier. Now is a great time for families to have a bit of a clear out and donate any books that their children may have grown out of which will then go on to benefit many other children in our area.”

Mrs Kate McNulty, Hugh Gaitskell headteacher said:

“On behalf of everyone at Hugh Gaitskell Primary School, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Asda and the Children’s Book Project for choosing our school to host such a wonderful event. The excitement and joy on our children’s faces as they entered the transformed school hall were truly heartwarming. The space was brought to life in a magical way, with engaging storytellers and fun activities that captivated their imaginations.

“It is so important to make reading an exciting and immersive experience for our pupils, and this event did exactly that. One of the most special aspects of the day was seeing our children select and take home beautiful books to keep. This generous gesture will undoubtedly help to nurture their enthusiasm for reading and encourage a lifelong love of books. We are incredibly grateful for the time, effort, and generosity that went into making this event so memorable.”