News - January 2008

First year of Priors Field bookworm scheme a resounding success

28/01/2008

A scheme launched by Priors Field School and Kenilworth estate agency Brian Holt to provide new books for the revamped school library is celebrating the end of a successful first year.

The project has seen youngsters able to bury their noses in dozens of new volumes purchased since the initiative was launched last February.

The scheme aims to provide more than £2,000 worth of books before the end of the current academic year and sees Brian Holt donating £100 to the school for every house it sells in the Priors Field priority area. To date it has raised £1,150, including an initial £250 donation from the agency to kickstart the scheme, which has funded around 150 fiction and non fiction books for its four to eleven year olds.

Reception to the scheme has been positive from vendors who are keen to support children in their local community.

Brian Holt manager Julie Philpot explained: “In pretty much all cases when I’ve been along to value houses the owners have said the scheme is a fantastic idea. Some of them have children, now grown up, who used to go to the school and a couple of others have been teachers, so the idea is very close to their hearts. Homes taking part in the scheme don’t necessarily have to be within the geographical school catchment area. Anyone with a connection with Priors Field – grandparents or childminders for example - can ask us to make the donation to the library fund.”

“We are anticipating meeting our £2,000 target by the summer as we already have another seven properties on the market in the area and the year has only just begun.”

Head Andy Mitchell added: “Our school has very close links with many organisations and local businesses as we are keen to forge strong relationships between our pupils and the community at large. This partnership is an excellent example of how we can have mutually beneficial relationships with local businesses. The revamped library has been proving a hit with our children and they’re delighted at the expanded selection of books on offer.”

The end of the first year of fundraising marks the beginning of a new drive aimed at promoting the scheme to homeowners thinking of selling their homes this spring.