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<\/p>\nWates Construction Announces Partnership with Children\u2019s Book Project to Aid Social Mobility<\/b>.<\/p>\n
Ahead of World Book Day 2020, Wates Construction has announced a partnership with the Children\u2019s Book Project, installing a pilot donation point in London on the hoarding of its Borough Yards development.<\/p>\n
The initiative, which enables passers-by to deposit books their children have outgrown, has already received hundreds of donations in the first weeks.<\/p>\n
A quarter of disadvantaged UK children have access to fewer than 10 books, so Wates hopes the project could eventually grow nationally to tackle this book gap and help develop literacy levels across the UK, following the pilot.<\/p>\n
Books received on Wates\u2019 Borough Yards site will be cleaned, sorted and then redistributed via selected teacher and school networks across London.<\/p>\n
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Ross Wilson, Project Director at the Borough Yards development, comments: \u201cI\u2019m really passionate about education and it\u2019s shocking to see the stats that there is a ten-month difference in the language development of 11 year old children from \u2018book rich homes\u2019 compared to their less-privileged school friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a leading education contractor, having built dozens of schools across the UK, we think this initiative will be a great way to make the most of the hoardings surrounding our developments, doing our bit to help overcome book-poverty. It\u2019ll enable passers-by to donate books their children have outgrown, putting those inspirational stories directly into other children\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ran Holst, Chair and Trustee from the Children\u2019s Book Project comments: \u201cA heartfelt thank you to the Wates Group for embracing this partnership and helping us to put a million books into children\u2019s bedroom over the 3 years. Stories bring so much pleasure, they widen our world and help us to dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anyone interested in hearing more about Wates and the initiative should visit: https:\/\/www.wates.co.uk\/<\/a> and https:\/\/childrensbookproject.co.uk\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"