Campaign launched to ‘build a home on books’

Campaign is launched to help Centrepoint build libraries in its services

The inspiration behind the campaign came from Cassandra and Ed’s love of books and their understanding that books have the power to change lives. After meeting Chris, a support and development worker at Centrepoint, the trio put their thinking caps on to initiate the means for young people to readily access books. That chance to pick up a book could change young people’s lives for the better, something that Chris has seen happen before.

The campaign hopes to draw out the bookworm in every young person. From young people that already have an interest in reading but do not have a ready supply of inspiring books, to those whose education has been difficult or irregular and without the encouragement or inspiration to read.

A home built on books is launched

Ed said: “Cassandra and I both grew up in homes filled with books - it made us what we are and we want to share the power that books can give with people who need it most. The idea behind the campaign is that if we can get books into the hands of these young people, they have the potential to change their lives. We want to help them build their own homes, and lives, on books in the same way we have.”

Clare Norton, regional director of services at Centrepoint said:

“When they first arrive at Centrepoint, only one in three of the young people we support have at least one GCSE or equivalent. By providing libraries we hope to encourage a healthy interest in learning without presenting education in a formal way, which is often unsuitable or off putting for these young people. This is an exciting project which will significantly help to broaden their horizons, gain new knowledge and be inspired.”

If you would like to be a part of the campaign and help build a home on books, we need books and magazines that will intrigue, inform and inspire. It could be anything from a biography of Barack Obama to a much-loved children’s book like Alice in Wonderland. For a full list of the subject areas we’d like to fill the library with, visit the book list here.

Books can be posted directly to Centrepoint, or you can set up a collection point and deliver them, or drop them off at a choice of central London addresses. See here for full details and more information.