Sara Pascoe and Friends (of Redlands)
In an ideal world, schools would be able to provide the spaces and resources to help children on their educational journey.
Redlands is a wonderful one-form entry state primary school with a dedicated and talented team of teachers and support staff who are passionate about delivering a reading-rich curriculum, but like many schools it lacks the money to always pay for the facilities to match.
So, we got on it like a car bonnet.
We led the work building a successful crowdfunding appeal (reaching its original target of £10k in two months). And as a result of some solid social media wrangling, we were lucky enough to connect with some fantastic authors of adult and children’s fiction, actors, writers, community leaders and comics who donated and offered their support. In fact, Sara Pascoe herself is curating and hosting a special comedy gig featuring some of her comedy pals (and herself of course), at South Street Arts Centre, in June 2024.
Want to help us get to £20k?
You can donate to the crowdfunder HERE.
Find out more about the comics
Find out more about the local gig sponsors
Local indie legends have supported the library campaign by donating time, skills and products for the main event and the goodies that form part of the VIP ticket (and green room treats for our comedians).
Have a look at their websites by clicking on their names below. and maybe buy some of their stuff.
Albert Fields, Reading Biscuit Factory, Black and Beech, Friends of Redlands Volunteers, Four Bears Books, Good Fermentation, Henley Gin, Leslee Barron Digital Artist, Lennox Bruwer, Little Leaf, Monty’s Café, South Street Arts Centre, Vegivores and Coop
The special role of the school library
Redlands has a higher-than-average percentage of children with additional needs and learning difficulties. Over 40% of their families come from BAME backgrounds, 72% of their children speak English as an additional language, and they have a high percentage of children who are entitled to free school meals. They need to create an effective, well-resourced, interactive learning environment for the children, which supports all children and families; no matter financial status, educational need, first language spoken or cultural background.
The National Literacy Trust have issued a nationwide wake-up call which highlights reading enjoyment being at their lowest since their records began. According to their data, almost 60% of children are not opting to read in their spare time. Only 1 in 5 children have read with a family member over the past four weeks. Children in receipt of free school meals have the lowest reading enjoyment levels, further widening the attainment gap.
At Redlands, they firmly believe that if children have the skills, then the enjoyment naturally follows.
Help them help their teaching team to do what they do best and teach, and with the right facilities!
Redlands needs a proper library.
They need up-to-date books that support the curriculum.
They need new seating that allows the children to explore in a way that reflects best practice regarding literacy in primary education.
And they need to repaint the walls.
What we’re fundraising for :
*2,000 new books
* modern shelving to put them on
*better lighting and seating·
*fresh paint for the walls.
The children at Redlands have put a significant amount of thought into how they would like their library to look and how they would like to access it. The upper and lower school have designed murals and elements of the library which we would like to include. They would also like a local author to launch the library that they have invested so much of their energy into.
Any money raised over the target will be ring fenced for library updates, further books, and literacy related activities such as visiting authors and writing workshops for the children.