About our partnership with National Literacy Trust
At The Works, we believe in the power of reading, learning, creativity and play and the difference they can make to people's lives. That's why we're proud to partner with the National Literacy Trust, a charity dedicated to empowering children, young people and families with the literacy skills they need to succeed. When children enjoy reading, it boosts their confidence, wellbeing and success at school and opens the door to a brighter future. But sadly, reading for pleasure is in decline.
In 2025, just 1 in 3 children said they enjoy reading in their free time, and fewer than 1 in 5 read every day. Many children don't own a single book. That's why our partnership matters. Thanks to the incredible support of our colleagues and customers, we've raised over £154,000 for the National Literacy Trust since our partnership began in 2023 and donated thousands of books to children who need them most.
These funds play a vital role in supporting the National Literacy Trust to deliver high-impact, flexible support across the UK - reaching children, families, and communities where literacy levels are lowest, and the need is greatest. During 2025, our support has helped make the following difference:
Our partnership with the National Literacy Trust makes a huge impact for adults and children like Habiba, who arrived in Bradford in 2018 with her family when she was just 10 years old. Habiba struggled to communicate with others at first, but thanks to the National Literacy Trust's events, like the Young Bradford Poets programme and the Bradford Stories Bus, Habiba was able to find her voice and connect with her cultural identity through poetry.
How our colleagues are getting involved
Brave board members took on the Arctic Challenge, raising £14,000 to support important charity work.
Colleagues volunteered at Tales in the Park, helping 3,700 children take home a brand-new book.
We've joined events from Nottingham to Middlesbrough, meeting Literacy Champions and celebrating storytelling with local authors.
Looking ahead
We're excited to continue our journey with the National Literacy Trust, especially as 2026 marks the National Year of Reading. Together, we'll keep raising funds, gifting books and inspiring readers across the UK.
Thank you to everyone who's supported the partnership so far. With your help, we're helping more children and families change their story through the power of literacy.
Learn more about our charity partners on their website:
National Literacy Trust