THOUSANDS of books were delivered to Coventry students in time for Christmas.
Students at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School have received 5,000 reading books – worth more than £17,000 – after they were wrapped by hundreds of volunteers at Amazon and donated by The Give Box.
Each student received at least three books to provide more opportunities for reading at home.
Lynette Taylor, Associate Assistant Principal at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, said: “To be able to support children throughout the school at this time of year is very special and we are extremely grateful for the effort that has gone into making this extraordinary donation happen.
“It was wonderful to see the reaction from our pupils when they received the gifts. We know some pupils may not receive the gift of reading over Christmas, so it is incredibly important we encourage that in any way we can. We’re incredibly fortunate to have had such amazing support to make it happen.”
The volunteering was organised by Amazon employee Swati Ramachandran, a member of the Business In The Community’s Coventry Pride of Place board – which helped identify the school on Potters Green Road as a worthy recipient in a target area of the city for high levels of deprivation.
More than one third of Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School pupils (36 per cent) qualify for Free School Meals, around 10 per cent higher than the national average.
Swati said: “This initiative represents more than just books – it’s an opportunity to provide hope, inspiration, and educational opportunities to young people who need it most during the holiday season.
“Amazon is a huge supporter of literacy and encouraging reading among young people, and we’re proud of our wider UK team for coming together to support a school that does important work in the Coventry community.”
Heather Black, Coventry Strategic Partnerships Manager at Business in the Community, said: “Many disadvantaged children in the UK face the reality of missing out on Christmas gifts, including something as simple as having a book of their own.
“This initiative is about opening up the world of reading, improving literacy skills, and all the opportunity this brings, and we are delighted to have supported Amazon, one of our member organisations, by facilitating the introduction to Cardinal Wiseman for this donation.”
