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Corporate support case studies

WHSmith

WHSmith and the National Literacy Trust: working together since 1993 to bring a love of reading to children and families

WHSmith and the National Literacy Trust have a long history of working together to improve literacy in the UK. WHSmith ex-Chairman, the late Sir Simon Hornby, had long viewed his role as encompassing a social responsibility to promote initiatives in education with a specific focus on literacy. He therefore helped to launch the National Literacy Trust in 1993 to ensure everyone in the UK had the literacy skills they needed to lead a successful and fulfilling life.

Between 2005 and 2009, the WHSmith Trust funded the Summer Read, an initiative of the National Literacy Trust’s Young Readers Programme, which works in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the UK. The funding helped more than 15,000 children to discover and develop themselves as readers by allowing them to choose free books to keep at a series of fun events during the school summer holidays. Since 2010, the WHSmith Trust has funded the Young Readers Programme for Families, an intensive programme that helps families to support their children’s literacy. The programme is working with families in around 20 locations across the UK.

“As one of the UK’s leading booksellers, literacy is at the heart of our community engagement. We are proud of our partnership with the National Literacy Trust which continues to make a real difference to the way that children and their families think about reading and to help them discover reading for pleasure.”           Sarah Heath, WHSmith

National Savings and Investments

We are extremely grateful for the support from NS&I and its staff. We received donations totalling more than £2,700 throughout 2009/10. This was raised through various activities, including team-building days, running the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge 5k, quiz nights and selling jewellery and handbags in the office. We're looking forward to working with them again in 2010/11.

We are delighted to be entering our second year of partnership, following the staff selection of the National Literacy Trust as NS&I’s Corporate Charity in 2009. Literacy has a huge impact on people’s success and their ability to make better informed choices. By arranging simple, and fun, fundraising events around the office we hope we can help the NLT continue their great work.
Natalie Reid