Campaign underway to supply 'warm banks' with books for people to read
The 'Book Nooks in Warm Spaces' fundraising campaign is underway
As temperatures drop, a fundraising campaign is underway trying to supply books to warm spaces across Devon.
The idea, from the charity behind the Exeter City of Literature is called ' Book Nooks in Warm Spaces'.
Anna Cohn Orchard, Executive Director of Exeter City of Literature said: “Access to a warm environment and good-quality books are crucial to people’s health and well-being, especially in the winter.
"We hope this campaign will help us raise the funds we need to send brand new books to places in Exeter and Devon that don’t have free and easy access to books.
Exeter has a history of reading dating back over 1,000 years and we want to celebrate this by providing the region with as many books as possible!
"In England, 5.1 million adults lack the literacy skills expected of an 11-year-old. Parts of Exeter and Devon have some of the lowest-literacy wards in the country, including Priory, Mincinglake and Whipton, Ilfracombe, and Barnstaple.
"Exeter City of Literature has a track record for making books and reading accessible and fun, from free book tokens for bibliotherapy sessions to the Penguin Books Vending Machine at Exeter St David’s Station.
"This literacy gap creates significant obstacles to social mobility, and the charity hopes to change this."