Smiles all round as young patients enjoy International Book Giving Day
Young patients at Newham Hospital are enjoying escaping into a good book, thanks to a visit from The Children’s Literacy Charity to mark International Book Giving Day (14 February).
The Charity donated books by a range of authors, including Enid Blyton and Derek Landy, to help children take their mind off their treatment and bring a smile to their faces.
Hamera Elahi, Specialist Play Worker at Newham University Hospital, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome The Children’s Literacy Charity to Newham – the children all really appreciated the books. Not all of our patients want to get involved in group activities, so the books are perfect for when patients want some time to themselves and to take their mind off of their treatment.”
Alexandra Charalambous, Head of Education Development at The Children’s Literacy Charity, said: “As part of International Book Giving Day, we wanted to reach out to children other than in a school setting who if they had a book to read, would make their day just a little bit better. Seeing some of the children’s faces when they received a book demonstrates how children do really want to read or just to be read to which is also equally important.”
The Children’s Literacy Charity provides one-to-one, multi-sensory literacy teaching for children and young people in socially and economically deprived areas who struggle with learning to read, write, speak and listen. They also provide information and consultancy, high quality training and resources for schools and families to help children unlock their learning potential.