Taking a leaf from Dolly Parton's book

Bradgate Rotary seeking books to change children's lives

Not many people know that country singer Dolly Parton is a member of Rotary. Even fewer, perhaps, will know that she has spent millions of dollars buying books to increase literacy – one of the areas of focus of Rotary International.

Although Bradgate Rotary has fewer resources than Rotarian Dolly, its members are just as committed to helping achieve that aim in our part of Leicestershire.

The club has signed up to an initiative called Books4Home which has already resulted in 230,000 children in Staffordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands.

Bradgate Rotary has offered to provide 200 books to Ratby Primary School and Anstey Latimer Primary School.
Now our lead on the project, Alan Rockey, is working on ways to get 400 pre-read books which are in good condition for children of primary school age before the end of this school year.

If you have any books that your children or grandchildren have read and outgrown, please get in touch with alanjrockey@gmail.com or call him on 0758 468 3022.

Local children whose literacy improves as a result of reading more will have a lasting benefit which will help them in their studies and future careers.

Alan will be very grateful to all donors… but promises not sing like Dolly Parton.