Our impact
Reading is nothing short of life-changing.
Children who read for pleasure are more likely to do well in school, have better paying jobs and better health and well-being. For children living in poverty or at risk of adverse childhood experiences, reading can be a literal escape route: offering both immediate relief and alternative pathways in life. A disadvantaged child who reads will outperform an advantaged child who doesn’t.
Read for Good’s mission is to improve the outcomes for all children in the UK by encouraging and enabling children to develop a love of reading.
Read our latest Impact Report (March 2022) online here. If you would like a hard copy, please contact reading@readforgood.org.
In schools
Readathon sponsored read has been running in schools across the UK since 1984. It was, and remains, a simple idea. Pupils are motivated to read what they love, and at the same time raise money to help seriously ill children, and they earn free book vouchers for their school at the same time. In recent years, we’ve added many more programmes to support our work in schools, always providing first-class resources and pragmatic solutions to support teachers and librarians in nurturing young readers.
- Readathon reaches around 1,000 schools and 200,000 pupils each year (and about half that during the pandemic), encouraging reading for pleasure
- Brilliant boxes of books to schools in need to boost their libraries
- Track My Read encouraging regular reading and providing invaluable reading behaviour insights
- Fantastic resources, author events and ideas to encourage reading for pleasure
In hospitals
Launched in 2010, our hospital programme provides brand-new, carefully chosen books and regular professional storyteller sessions to the UK’s 30 major children’s hospitals. Read for Good’s specially made, colourful mobile bookcases can travel right up to a child’s bedside, offering an enticing display of lovely new books to read and often keep for ever. Our service supports seriously ill children’s disrupted learning, and gives them and their families precious distraction and comfort at a time when it’s needed the most.
- 27,000 books to children in hospital each year (and through most of the pandemic)
- 224 storytelling days each normal year (virtual or in-person where possible during the pandemic)
- 83% of reluctant readers say our books encourage them to read more
- 92% of children say our books and stories make them feel better
- 95% of parents say our books and stories reduce their own anxiety
