EasyJet stocks planes with children’s books to help encourage reading over summer holidays
By Staff on Saturday, July 14, 2018
Research by airline easyJet has led to the launch of a European-wide initiative to encourage children to get hooked on a book this Summer.
300 ‘Flybraries’ (flying libraries) took off this week stocked with 17,500 children’s books translated in seven languages.
easyJet’s study into child literacy reveals that, almost four in ten parents (38%) said their child has fewer than 10 books at home and on average, British children aged between 6 – 12 have not visited a public library in over six months.
The campaign has been delivered by PR and creative agency Taylor Herring* following a successful UK trial in 2017.
Campaign ambassadors and best-selling children’s authors Greg James (BBC1 Radio 1) and Chris Smith said: ““One of the main reasons we wanted to write Kid Normal was to de-mystify the role of ‘the author’ as serious and impenetrable figures, and to show that reading and writing stories is not only one of the most amazing uses of your imagination but to show that it is something that is for everyone.
The duo launched the initiative at London Gatwick Airport today with a special reading and book signing for young travellers
easyJet teamed up with publishers to put books including; Kid Normal, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book, Dr Dolittle and The Secret Garden, in passenger seat-pockets as the world’s largest in-flight holiday lending library takes to the skies.
Tina Milton, Director of Cabin Crew at easyJet said: “This summer we will fly approximately five million families across Europe on their summer holidays and our in-flight lending library is stocked with over 17,500 books ready for children to pick up, read and then leave behind for the next passenger. Reading is so important for fuelling a child’s development, vocabulary and imagination and a flight provides the perfect opportunity for them to get stuck into a book. We are passionate about creating family friendly initiatives that make flying with us fun and easier for parents.”
The initiative is being supported by the National Literacy Trust who are partnering with easyJet to encourage children to read more books over the six-week school holidays. The partnership means that parents can download fun activities for the family over the summer to encourage literacy.
easyJet’s fleet of Flybraries will enable children to start reading books on a flight and then when they land download free samples of books at www.flybrariesbookclub.com – the website will also host the airline’s summer writing competition to help children spread their creative writing wings.
*who also run this blog
