BookTrust Cymru

What is BookTrust Cymru?

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity and their mission is to get children from low-income and vulnerable family backgrounds reading regularly and by choice. Their focus is on helping children in key developmental years from birth to the first years of primary school.  

BookTrust’s work is driven by evidence. Their research gives unique insights into the lives of the families they work with and what works to build the reading habits that bring immediate and lifelong benefits to the children who need it most.

BookTrust Cymru works with delivery partners across all 22 local authorities in Wales to deliver a range of impactful and bilingual programmes that will inspire a love of reading in children because they know that reading can transform lives. 

From babies to children in their early years and all the way through to early teens, reading brings profound and wide-ranging benefits that can have a lifelong positive impact on children’s lives.

How can you take part?

 There are many programmes available through BookTrust Cymru:

Bookstart

It’s never too early to start sharing books, stories and rhymes with your child. Through Bookstart, BookTrust Cymru supports families across Wales to read together regularly. 

Every child in Wales can receive two special Bookstart packs (Bookstart Baby and Bookstart Early Years) before the age of three, which are given to families by their Health Visitor. Alternatively, Bookstart packs are available to collect from many libraries in Wales. 

In addition, the Bookstart Toddler programme further supports families to read and share stories together and is delivered through many settings including Flying Start, Cymraeg i Blant and the Family Information Service.

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Parent and child in seated area at Rhymney Library

Pori Drwy Stori

Pori Drwy Stori inspires a love of books, stories and rhymes and supports children to develop speaking, listening, reading, writing and numeracy skills at home and at nursery or school. 

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Mother and child reading at Maesteg Library

Letterbox Club

Letterbox Club supports children aged 3–13 who are looked after, previously looked after, vulnerable or on the edge of care, with their reading and numeracy.

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Library user lifting Pokemon Adventures Book off the shelves

Big Welsh Rhyme Time 

Big Welsh Rhyme Time is our annual celebration of sharing rhymes, poems and songs. It’s rhyming fun for everyone! 

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Song and Rhyme at Conwy Libraries

Learn more about BookTrust Cymru

To find out more about BookTrust Cymru’s work in Wales visit their website.

Learn more
Certificate presented to baby and mother for completing the Big Welsh Rhyme Time