Following last year’s successful collections for North Paddington Food Bank and Greenhouse Sports as part of the Christmas Family Appeal, the University of Westminster is again inviting its community to donate to the Christmas Community Appeal to bring some festive cheer to some of Westminster’s most vulnerable families.
In order to support the local community this festive season, the University is supporting Doorstep Library, a not-for-profit community organisation dedicated to bringing the gift of books and reading into the homes of local families. Doorstep Library are based in Church Street, just a short walk from Westminster’s Marylebone Campus. As physical donations are not possible due to COVID-19, the University has set up an online fundraiser, from which all donations will be used to support the Doorstep Library initiative.
As part of their work, home and online reading volunteers for Doorstep Library go into homes in disadvantaged areas across London to inspire a love of books, of stories and storytelling, and to instil a lifelong passion for reading. The volunteers build relationships with families bringing enthusiasm and books to fuel children’s natural love of stories, fire their imaginations, and encourage their appreciation of reading. The goal of Doorstep Library is to help each child develop the self-confidence and essential skills they need to access all the opportunities that will come their way in life.
Doorstep Library have been fighting inequality in education since 2010, introducing the magic and benefits of reading to more than 1,600 children. However, COVID-19 has accelerated educational inequality at an alarming rate and continues to be a growing problem, with four in every ten children in London living in households in poverty.
In order to continue providing their service, Doorstep Library has adapted the home-reading service and has now launched a new Online Reading Corner, offering online reading sessions for children and families in their home to support those families in the most need and reach even more children going forward.
This year’s fundraiser follows the University’s Christmas Family Appeal which supported the North Paddington Food Bank and Greenhouse Sports to provide local households with personalised Christmas hampers containing practical items, treats and gifts for people of all backgrounds and interests.
Talking about this year’s appeal, Andy Norris, Head of Culture and Inclusion at the University of Westminster, said: “This year we have chosen to support Doorstep Library with the aim of building a sustainable relationship, starting through this appeal with your generous donations. Doorstep Library believe in the power of words to take you places, and they support children who have already faced many challenges in their short lives. Their work helps develop confidence, ability and a joy of reading, learning and exploring. I cannot think of a better connection to the values of our University.
“We will be working with Doorstep Library throughout 2022 to support their work and the development of children in our local community.”
To donate to the Doorstep Library Christmas Community Appeal, find out how to make a single gift donation on the University website.
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