South Devon book store backs children's readers charity

An independent bookshop in South Devon is doing its bit to help a children's readers charity.

First Draft Books is among indie bookshops backing Bookshop.org’s new charitable initiative ‘Read It Forward’ with BookTrust

The initiative will:

• Will see 10 per cent of all children’s books sales made in February to go to the charity

• Inspire a love for reading and support indie bookshops in the UK

• Be the first collaboration between Bookshop.org and BookTrust 

First Draft Books, based in Bovey Tracey, says it is delighted to participate in the launch of Bookshop.org's new charitable scheme in partnership with BookTrust.

Launched just in time for half-term, it will last last until the end of February.

Read It Forward encourages all parents, teachers, guardians and educators to consider purchasing books from Bookshop.org and within the First Draft Books shop, with a portion of the profit of each kids’ book donated to the UK’s largest children’s reading charity.

The aim is to inspire a love of reading in the next generation, with the money raised by the drive going towards BookTrust’s work of getting children reading – especially those from low-income families or vulnerable backgrounds. 

Leslie Leggett, Owner of First Draft Books, said: “At First Draft Books, we believe in the power of reading to transform lives - to bring joy, to open up new worlds and to develop a greater sense of yourself, especially among young readers. We're excited to be part of Read It Forward to connect more children with books in the UK. We will be sharing some of our favourite books this month and invite our community to do the same." 

Lizzie Catford, Director of Children's Books at BookTrust, said: "We're thrilled to partner with Bookshop.org on the Read it Forward initiative, a wonderful opportunity for readers to make a meaningful impact. This collaboration not only supports independent bookshops, vital pillars of our literary community, but also contributes directly to our mission of fostering a love of reading among children, particularly those facing challenges. At BookTrust, we believe in the transformative power of shared reading, and the funds raised through this initiative will support our vital work across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This wonderful partnership emphasises the collective strength of readers, booksellers, and charities in building a brighter reading future for all children." 

First Draft Books is an independent bookshop in Fore Street, Bovey Tracey for curious readers of all ages. It began as a kernel of an idea in Spring 2021 on a road trip across America when Leslie Leggett wondered: how do you show up for a community? What emerged was an independent bookstore with curiosity and community at its heart. First launching as a pop-up bookshop in South Devon in June 2023, it has worked to create spaces — often in collaboration with other small businesses — for locals and visitors to be bookish together. We hope you’ll stop by for a while.