Thousands of free copies of Sir Lenny Henry’s novel The Boy With Wings were given to children at 335 schools across the UK as part of Black History Month.
A partnership with Enterprise and the National Literacy Trust (NLT) meant 10 Liverpool schools received 600 free copies of the book with 25,000 sent out nationally. They aim to boost rates of reading for pleasure which is linked to better attainment at school, higher lifetime earning potential and better mental health.
40% of children and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds don’t see themselves in what they read. Despite clear benefits of reading, almost one in five (18.6%) children in England between the ages of five and eight do not have access to books at home, according to recent research by the NLT.
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Sir Lenny wrote The Boy With Wings because he didn’t see Black heroes in books he read growing up, and wants all children to see themselves appear centre stage in exciting, inspiring stories where they have great adventures. Sir Lenny said: "I want to make sure as many kids as possible have access to books and this project brilliantly targets those kids who don’t have books at home.
“Reading, with lots of trips to my local library in Dudley, was such an important part of my childhood. It took me on many different adventures and to many different worlds".
Enterprises, Simon Caughey-Rogers said: “Enterprise firmly believes in expanding opportunity for everyone. This partnership provides an excellent way for us to support early childhood development through the power of reading."
NLT director of development, Darranda Rowswel said: “Creating a culture of reading for pleasure in schools is crucial to increasing literacy levels which gives children access to more opportunities throughout their lives. We’re so excited to create a culture of reading and encouraging a love of stories we hope stay with children for the rest of their lives”.
This gift was part of Enterprise’s ROAD Forward, a $55m fund from the philanthropic Enterprise Holdings Foundation to support social and racial equity projects across the world. Books arrived in schools at the start of UK Black History Month (1-31 October) which mainly celebrates the accomplishments of Black Britons.
The Boy With Wings, published by Macmillan Children’s books, was chosen because it portrays important messages about race, inclusion and diversity. The book also includes an exclusive comic book created by Marvel artist, Mark Buckingham.
The National Literacy Trust mission is to improve the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills of those who need it most. They run Literacy Hubs and campaigns where low levels of literacy and social mobility are seriously impacting people’s lives.
They also support schools and early years settings and campaign to make literacy a priority for politicians, businesses and parents. Their partner, Enterprise Holdings, Inc., manages the largest and most diverse privately-owned fleet in the world through an integrated network of more than 9,500 fully staffed neighbourhood and airport vehicle rental locations.
Visit the NLT here
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