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Many of us can easily reel off our favourite childhood stories, from the Tiger Who Came to Tea, to Harry Potter, the Faraway Tree and The Cat in the Hat. And yet today, almost 20% of children aged five to eight don’t own a single book. As well as impacting their love of reading, this can have far-reaching consequences.

According to the OECD, reading for pleasure is even more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds who are doing well by the end of primary school are twice as likely to have been read to at home in their early years than those who are doing poorly.

The Children’s Book Project

The Children’s Book Project was founded by Hammersmith-resident Liberty Venn to get more books into the hands of more children. She says, “In the course of my work with literacy-oriented charities and with children’s publishers, I became aware of the positive role that early access to books plays in children’s development and in their outcomes. Children become immersed in stories and with characters; they enjoy themselves and, without realising, their literacy improves.”

Of course, as book lovers know, books aren’t only important for educational success. Kate Morgan-Evans is the Grants & Engagement Manager at the Children’s Book Project. She shares, “There’s a lot of research about the benefits of reading for mental health and wellbeing. You can escape into a book from real life. It broadens your imagination, introduces new ideas and can take you to new worlds. When you read with your child, their heart rate slows and there’s a release of endorphins. It’s a really, really powerful thing.”

Around 135,000 children across the UK receive books from the Children’s Book Project each year. The charity mainly distributes books through schools, but also works with food banks, refuges, community groups, prisons and women’s groups.

Barriers to reading

There are many barriers to reading, including the cost of books. As Kate points out, even £2 for a book in a charity shop can be unaffordable for families who are struggling with the cost of living. Not all parents grew up with a culture of reading and not all have experienced the benefits or joy that a book can bring.

Libraries do play a vital role in promoting reading, but hundreds have shut across the country in recent years, and the most disadvantaged areas are four times more likely than the richest to have lost a publicly funded library. While primary schools loan books to children, the books are usually from a specific reading scheme and designed with phonics in mind, rather than just pleasure.

Kate says, “With the Children’s Book Project, children get to choose their books, take them home and keep them. There’s no time limit on them, so those books can be enjoyed time and time again and shared with the rest of the family. Giving a child a book shows the child that they’re important, that they’re valued, that they’re special.”

New homes for old books

The books distributed by the Children’s Book Project are all pre-loved or surplus, having been donated by families or publishers. Rather than just handing the books out, the schools host book gifting events, where children can look through all the books available and choose the ones they want to take home.

Kate shares, “We’ll be gifting more than 500,000 preloved and surplus books to children this academic year. We aim to work with each school over multiple years, which helps to create a book-rich environment. We provide bunting and tokens so the school can mimic a shop experience, as many of the children will never have been to a bookshop.”

Working with schools in Hammersmith

The charity recently received a £3,000 grant from Hammersmith United Charities. It will use the grant to deliver books to around 1,200 children in total at Brackenbury Primary School, Flora Gardens Primary School and Wormholt Park Primary School. Every child in the three Hammersmith schools will be able to choose up to six books to take home and keep.

According to one teacher at Wormholt Park Primary School, “The pop up book shops are eagerly awaited. The children take great delight in looking at, sharing, recommending and choosing a book to take home and keep. For many children, this has been the first time they have had the experience of visiting a ‘book shop’. Books make the difference, books can change lives.”

Liberty adds, “All children should be able to access a book without the cost being a barrier and so we are incredibly excited to be supported by Hammersmith United Charities and expand our work in the borough.”

Donate books

Do you have books needing a new home? The Children’s Book Project accepts fiction and non-fiction books suitable for children. It can’t accept:

• Old or damaged books
• Encyclopaedias, textbooks, revision books or religious texts
• DVDs or CDs
• Ex-library or reading scheme books

If you’d like to donate a book, you can drop it off at several locations in Hammersmith and Fulham, including Bute House Preparatory School for Girls and Winkworth estate agents. Find your nearest collection point and register your details here.

Volunteer for the Children’s Book Project

The Children’s Book Project relies on volunteers for a number of roles. You could help to sort through books, liaise with schools or promote the charity’s work on social media. Find out more at www.childrensbookproject.co.uk

More than 330,000 people are on the social housing waiting list in London. Many properties that used to be social housing have been sold off over the years and not replaced. In Hammersmith and Fulham alone, 827 social homes were sold and 434 were demolished between 2012 and 2022, and only 129 new social homes were built, leading to a net loss of 1,132 homes.

Unsuitable housing

Alongside the number of affordable homes decreasing, the population has risen across London, increasing demand and helping to drive up rent. Private rental costs can be double or even triple the cost of social housing, which means many families, whether they’re in full-time employment or on benefits, are struggling to make ends meet. They’re also often stuck in homes that are too small for their families or in very poor condition, as they can’t afford more suitable accommodation.

It’s perhaps not surprising that Shepherds Bush Families Project & Children’s Centre has seen an 80% increase in demand for support over the last two years. CEO Tina Mayers explains, “We work primarily with families where there’s a housing problem. There’s less social housing available, so families are staying in temporary and overcrowded homes for longer. We’re also seeing a lot more families who are living in private rented accommodation struggling with poor conditions, including damp and mould.”

Living in an overcrowded or unsafe home can have serious repercussions on childhood health and wellbeing. Tina shares, “We’ve seen quite a few children admitted to hospital due to mould and other incidents related to their housing.

“Things that children in normal housing take for granted are often denied to children living in unsuitable accommodation. There’s no space to play or to do homework or coursework. They can’t invite their friends over. We continue to see a significant increase in the number of parents, children and young people who are struggling with mental and/or physical health difficulties.”

Shepherds Bush Families Project & Children’s Centre

The charity offers a range of services, including:

• Parent-and-child drop-in sessions
• After-school club
• Holiday clubs
• Advice and advocacy appointments
• Therapeutic counselling
• Coffee mornings
• English conversation group

The aim is to give children a safe space to play, do their homework and enjoy activities that are otherwise denied to them, and parents a place to get advice and support. As Tina explains, the long-term goal is to “empower parents and caregivers to regain a greater sense of control and affect changes in their lives. We also ensure children and young people develop and have a firm foundation in physical, social and emotional education from which to flourish, maximise their potential and enjoy good outcomes.”

One parent who has benefited from the charity’s support is Monica. She shares, “While I was pregnant, my relationship broke down and I faced the prospect of being homeless and bringing up my child alone. Without [the charity] I wouldn’t have been able to finish my degree in accounting, which means I wouldn’t have found a job.”

A 15-year-old whose family attends the centre adds, “This centre gives a positive environment for many children. It gives a stable place where I could do my homework. It also gave me a safe place to play. It is a reliable centre in which children can play and not be on the streets getting involved in crime.”

Community Grant

Hammersmith United Charities has supported Shepherds Bush Families Project & Children’s Centre with a number of Community Grants over the years. The latest grant of £10,000 is helping to fund the charity’s early intervention work. Tina explains, “We try to reach families early on before a problem becomes a crisis. We run drop-in sessions for parents to come with their children to play; staff try to give parents the confidence to talk about their difficulties so that we can offer advice. It’s about not letting families slip through the net, because once a family hits crisis point, it’s really hard to help them get back from that.

“Some grants are very restrictive and you can only spend the money on children’s services, when actually you need to support the parents as well. We’ve been very lucky with Hammersmith United Charities. They’ve been brilliant over the years and the support they give us is for the work that we actually need to do.”

How to help local families

There are a number of ways you can support local families through Shepherds Bush Families Project & Children’s Centre, including:

• Making a donation
• Fundraising for the charity
• Signing up to a platform like Give as You Live where you raise money (at no extra cost) while you shop
• Joining the Board of Trustees
• Donating clothes, toys and other essentials
• Volunteering to support the children or parents

You can find out more about the charity at its website: www.shepherdsbushfamiliesproject.org

We are looking for an exceptional individual who shares our values and aspirations for Hammersmith. If you have the vision, leadership skills, and a genuine connection to our mission, we would be delighted to hear from you.

The Chair’s role is pivotal in steering our strategic direction and supporting the Board and executive team to deliver lasting impact. It is also deeply rewarding, offering the opportunity to work alongside talented and passionate colleagues, residents, and community partners who share a commitment to making a difference.

Commitment

Hours: Approximately 1-2 days per month.
We hold four Board meetings a year, which last for approximately two hours, plus an annual strategic planning/Board development meeting. Meetings are usually held at 5.30pm, with the option of joining remotely.
Location: Hammersmith/Remote
Remuneration: Voluntary, with reasonable out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed

Find out more

The closing date is 16 March 2025. Please download the Candidate Information pack for full details.

Our Community Grants help to support local groups in and around Hammersmith. Grants are awarded twice a year. Our most recent grant round in October 2024 saw 14 groups awarded grants totalling £100,054. These include Shepherds Bush Families Project, which is using its £10,000 grant to support vulnerable families, including through drop-in sessions for families who are homeless or experiencing severe housing difficulties.

The full list of grant holders is as follows:

West London Welcome

£14,999 to help provide emotional support, advice and signposting to 500 asylum seekers and refugees. Our grant will cover 50% of the charity’s rent. You can read more about West London Welcome in our case study.

Community Switch Sports CIC

£14,995 to help ensure that children in low-income families can access sport and to organise the first low-cost White City junior football league.

Barons Court Project

£10,000 towards the salary of a project worker who will welcome and support visitors at their day centre for people on a low income, many of whom are homeless and/or experiencing mental health difficulties.

Health and Wellbeing for All CIC

£10,000 to run social and advice sessions for Somali women, to reduce loneliness and increase wellbeing.

Shepherds Bush Families Project

£10,000 towards the cost of early intervention work with vulnerable families, including ones who are homeless.

Citizens Advice Hammersmith and Fulham

£8,000 towards the salary of an Assessor who is the first point of contact for local people and ensures they get to the service that can help them.

Original Club

£7,000 towards the cost of running Taekwondo classes at the community centre in Edward Woods.

Wendell Park Primary School

£6,250 to provide art therapy for children experiencing difficulties such as trauma, abuse or bullying.

Intergenerational Music Making

£5,000 to help provide music sessions that bring primary school children and older people together to combat social isolation.

Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

£4,000 to provide free theatre tickets for 100s of people on a low income.

Grove Neighbourhood Centre Folk Art Group

£3,300 to deliver therapeutic art sessions.

Headway West London

£3,210 to run a rehabilitation programme for people with brain injuries.

Children’s Book Project

£3,000 to make sure that children at three local primary schools have their own books to read.

West London Death Café

£300 to hire a room so that people can talk about their feelings and experiences around death.

How to apply for a HUC Community Grant

We’re particularly keen to hear from smaller, local organisations in our area of benefit, which have a strong connection to their community and a working knowledge of the local area. Your project can be one-off or ongoing. What interests us most is the difference you’ll make to the local people most in need.

Please complete our Eligibility Quiz before applying, and then contact us at grants@hamunitedcharities.com to tell us about your project. We like to talk to applicants before you apply so that we can get a better understanding of what you’re doing and answer any questions you may have.

Find out more

• Learn more about our Community Grants
• Read our grant FAQs
• Hear from other organisations we’ve supported
• Read more about how to apply