Celebrating 10 years of funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Book Aid International today released a video from actor, rare book dealer and long-standing friend of the charity Neil Pearson celebrating the huge impact that players of People’s Postcode Lottery have made on the lives of readers worldwide. The video can be viewed here.
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery began supporting Book Aid International in 2014. To date, the charity has received a total of £5.5 million, and those funds have helped the charity increase the books it provides to communities around the world from around 550,000 books each year to 1.3 million books in 2024.
Book Aid International has used the flexible funds it receives from players to expand its work providing books from 10 to 23 countries and trial new ways of working with its partners to support the readers facing the greatest barriers to reading and learning.
For example, players funded the charity’s expansion across West Africa following the Ebola crisis, ensuring that communities had access to brand-new, carefully selected books as they rebuilt their education systems, and helped the charity expand its support for conflict-affected communities. Last year alone, Book Aid International sent 400,000 books to readers living with conflict in countries including Cameroon, Somalia and Ukraine.
Most recently, funds from players have helped Book Aid International move into a new, larger warehouse in Swindon – from which the charity hopes to send two million books a year by 2030.
The charity’s Vice Patron and former Chair Lord Boateng commented on the impact of player funding on the charity over the years saying:
“I remember vividly when the People’s Postcode Lottery team visited us in Malawi to open a Children’s Corner in 2014. It felt a special day at the time – but I had no idea how transformative it would prove to be. Player funding has enabled us to be brave – reaching new readers in new ways – and to invest in our organisation and make sure that we can continue sharing the power of books for years to come. I join Neil and the whole Book Aid International family in thanking the players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their support.”
To find out more about how players of People’s Postcode Lottery have supported Book Aid International visit: https://bookaid.org/support-us/give-as-a-charitable-trust/peoples-postcode-lottery/
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Notes to editors
Images
Please find a selection of images and the Book Aid International logo here: https://bookaid.dash.app/sharing/type/collection/h3hg2-10-years-ppl-release
Further information
Please contact Emma Taylor:
07582 402 446
emma.taylor@bookaid.org
About Book Aid International
Book Aid International is a charity which shares the power of books and helps build a more equal future. Every year, Book Aid International works with its partners worldwide to provide over one million brand-new books which support or establish libraries in communities where people would otherwise have few opportunities to read.
Almost all of the books Book Aid International provides are donated to the charity by publishers in the UK, and every book sent is carefully selected in line with the charity’s partners’ requests. Book Aid International also funds the purchase of thousands of nationally published books every year.
Book Aid International receives no government grants or support and relies entirely on the generosity of publishers and financial donors to reach readers around the world. To find out more or help send the next book, visit bookaid.org.
Book Aid International is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity number 313869 and company number 880754.