Free books for young passengers from Grand Central on World Book Day
Train company Grand Central is giving away free rail-themed books to young passengers travelling northbound on World Book Day on March 7.
The initiative, which will include books such as The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit or Topsy and Tim: Go On A Train by Jean Adamson, is a partnership between Penguin Random House and the National Literacy Trust, who Grand Central has been working with since 2015.
As part of the ongoing partnership, Grand Central has taken schoolchildren on a Where's Wally?-themed train journey, transported kids to York to see astronaut Tim Peake's spacecraft on World Book Day and held creative writing sessions in its carriages.
Sean English, Grand Central’s chief operating officer, said: “We're dedicated to raising literacy levels in the communities we serve and we're delighted to be part of the World Book Day story. It is great to be able to work with the National Literacy Trust and spread the joy of reading to our younger travellers.”
Jonathan Douglas, director of The National Literacy Trust, said: “We know that children who have books of their own do better at school and are happier with their lives. But one in eight disadvantaged children in the UK don’t have a single book of their own at home.
"In the true spirit of our partnership with Grand Central Rail, we are delighted to be bringing the joy of books and reading to so many children and young people this World Book Day.”
Last year, the National Literacy Trust celebrated its 25th anniversary and directly supported the literacy of 116,000 children and young people throughout the year, as well as supporting more than 5,500 schools and early years settings.