‘Thank you for thinking about my family and not just locking me away’
Raising Readers offers parents in prison the chance to choose a book to be sent home to their child. A tangible reminder for the child and a gift from their parent despite the distance and difficult circumstances. The parent can also fill in a bespoke bookplate to write a personal message to their child. Where possible the library has a display of each title from the most current handout for the parent to flick through before making their choice. We provide copies for both the child and parent which can then be enjoyed over the phone or during a visit.
Following the successes of Raising Readers, we received requests from prisons for the project to be extended to grandparents, uncles, siblings etc. This project is all about connection regardless of relation.
In 2023 Raising Readers ran in 34 prisons across the country and we sent 4000+ books to support families.
‘it gives me a chance to connect with my girls while I’m in prison’
What we provide:
• 100 books per quarter per prison.
• Bespoke bookplates to write a personal message.
• A detailed handout of the 18 titles, ranging from 0-YA, to choose from with a brief summary of the book. (You can see an example booklist below)
• A poster to display in the library or round the wings to advertise the project.
