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Black celebrities stand up as reading role models - Star Reads 2008 launches
1 Dec 2008
Tim Campbell, winner of 2005’s The Apprentice, award winning British rapper Kano, and writer, director, and star of Adulthood Noel Clarke are among the famous names taking part in the Star Reads campaign, which is run by RED Culture and supported by the National Literacy Trust. The celebrities will appear on a set of posters that aim to encourage young people to read for pleasure.
Tim Campbell’s message to young people is:
Reading has the ability to transport you into any world; the knowledge of self is the path to development and preparation for success. So much, can be found within the pages of a book.”
Noel Clarke adds:
Reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice to read about any topic you enjoy from anywhere, this could be a book, an internet page or site, a newspaper or leaflet. You control how much you learn.“
Star Reads aims to inspire young people to read more, particularly those from inner-city and black and minority ethnic backgrounds. It provides multicultural booklists to inspire young readers and celebrity reading promotion posters that teachers can use as a focus for Black History Month in October and throughout the school year.
Sarah Osborne, National Literacy Trust project manager said:
It is extremely important that young people have reading role models in their lives. Celebrities who enjoy reading for pleasure can serve as great role models to inspire and motivate young people to read more often. The National Literacy Trust is delighted to be working with RED to inspire more children to think about reading.”
Natalie Smith, founder of Star Reads campaign, said:
I am so excited that this year’s stars have stood up as reading role models for young people. We are committed to encouraging young people to read books that reflect their lives and interests and get them excited and inspired about reading, and Star Reads is an opportunity to do just this.”
Images, quotes and film clips of the celebrities are available from Natalie Smith on 07723233204 or natalie@redculture.org
For more details on Star Reads, contact:
Natalie Smith on 07723233204 or natalie@redculture.org
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Notes to editors
Star Reads Star Reads is run by RED Culture and is now in its third year. The celebrities will appear on a set of posters that aim to encourage young people to read, which teachers can use to promote Black History Month. Posters come in sets of seven and one set costs £24.99. As well as the posters, which are available to order online from 1 September 2008, Star Reads produces book bundles and free recommended reading lists for ages 5-7, 7-11, ,11-14 and 14-16. Celebrities for 2008 are:
• Tim Campbell – winner of series one of the BBC programme The Apprentice
• Kano – rapper
• T2 – music producer/artist
• Addictive – girl group
• Noel Clarke – writer, director and star of the film Adulthood
www.starreads.org
The National Literacy Trust is an independent charity that changes lives through literacy. It links home, school and the wider community to inspire learners and create opportunities for everyone. The National Literacy Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, no. 1116260, and a company limited by guarantee, no. 5836486, Registered office: 68 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1RL.
RED Culture RED operates by offering people who work in education or with young people a service that helps them to identify with young people and to understand the emerging global village we now live in. RED offers books and suggested reading lists that package multicultural books within segments such as age, language, gender, interest, subject matter, themes, cultural and religious groups, and helps to make choosing books for different ethnic groups easier.
The 2008 National Year of Reading (NYR) is being managed by The National Literacy Trust and lead partner The Reading Agency. Working with a consortium of partners, they have been allocated funds to establish a framework for delivering the campaign at a national and local level. A key priority is to develop a legacy which embeds reading, in all its forms, in our social culture and local authority planning and endures long beyond the end of the campaign itself. The NYR will promote reading as an enjoyable activity which is everywhere and is not just about books: it is about reading anything, anywhere at anytime.
