Our BBC Radio 4 Appeal launched on 13th February. It was voice by Hannah Beynon, who movingly described how Read for Good’s books and stories in hospital helped her teenage son cope with cancer.
Read for Good’s appeal has been among the most successful campaigns in recent years, raising £58,011, including £15,000 match-funding support from National Book Tokens and The Booksellers Association.
Money raised will help Read for Good continue its service in each of the 30 UK’s major children’s hospitals – from Aberdeen to Truro, Belfast to Norwich – filling its bright orange, mobile bookcases with brand new books and providing storytelling sessions (in person or virtual) throughout the year.
In the appeal, Hannah shared her teenage son William’s story: recalling how Read for Good helped him cope with the fear, anxiety and isolation that came with a cancer diagnosis, gruelling treatment and lengthy hospital stays, especially during a pandemic.
Read for Good wants to continue to raise awareness of the pandemic’s continued impact on children in hospitals, as restrictions are lifted in many other areas of everyday life.
Justine Daniels, Read for Good chief executive, said: “We know that visitor restrictions are still in place at many of the hospitals we work in, so our books continue to play an important role in providing escape, distraction and a little relief for families. We want to thank William and Hannah for their courage, time and selflessness for sharing their story, even as William’s cancer has returned.”
Read for Good’s programme in hospitals is partly funded by schools running its long-established Readathon. National Book Tokens has supported Readathon since 2013, helping children to develop a life-long love of reading by finding the books they love.
National Book Tokens’ Managing Director Alex de Berry said: “National Book Tokens and The Booksellers Association were incredibly proud to lend our weight to this appeal to inspire others to support this wonderful campaign. We are so pleased to hear that Read for Good’s important work in hospitals chimed with so many listeners.”
Listen to the appeal again here.
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