Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills joins gifting event at primary school

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, today (Thursday 17 November) joined P2 and P3 pupils at Liberton Primary School in Edinburgh with their families as they received their Read, Write, Count bags. Every P2 and P3 pupil in Scotland is gifted a Read, Write, Count bag containing books and activities that are theirs to keep. P1 pupils are also part of the annual gifting, receiving their Bookbug P1 Family Bag.

Scottish Book Trust is delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Government and Education Scotland to devise and deliver the Read, Write, Count bags. Over quarter of a million books will be gifted through 129,600 Read, Write, Count bags this year, including 1600 Gaelic-language bags. The bags are gifted to pupils during Book Week Scotland each year.

For many children across Scotland, the books they receive through the Bookbug and Read, Write, Count gifting programme are the only books they have at home. Access to books can have a life-changing impact on children, with research showing it can boost attainment across the curriculum, as well as improving wellbeing, empathy and future opportunities. By the time children in Scotland reach their eighth birthday, they will have received six bags of books from Scottish Book Trust.

Book Week Scotland, this year running 14–20 November, is run by Scottish Book Trust – the national charity changing lives through reading and writing. Book Week Scotland was initiated by the Scottish Government and is supported by funding from Creative Scotland and SLIC, and is this year also supported by Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: 

'Gifting books to children through the Bookbug and Read, Write, Count programmes is one of the highlights of Book Week Scotland each year. For many children in Scotland, the only books they have at home are the ones they are given by Scottish Book Trust. Our Bookbug and Read, Write, Count bags reach children from birth up to Primary 3, and we know they can make a big impact to children's lives.'

'We're grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills for joining us at Liberton Primary School as the pupils and their families were gifted the bags.'

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: 

'Read, Write, Count is a vital programme for children across Scotland. We know the benefit of providing children with an opportunity to discover a passion for reading and to bond with their families over books and other book items provided within these bags. 

'I would like to thank Scottish Book Trust for their continued work on the Read, Write, Count programme and to Liberton Primary School for inviting me to enjoy this wonderful day with everyone.'

Notes to Editors 

Please direct all media requests to Abi Baross, Marketing and PR Manager: abi.baross@scottishbooktrust.com(this link will open in a new window).

Scottish Book Trust

Scottish Book Trust is a national charity that believes everyone living in Scotland should have equal access to books. Our work provides opportunities to improve life chances through books and the fundamental skills of reading and writing. Access to books and a love of books bring many important benefits from family bonding and advancing children’s learning, to unlocking creativity, helping employability and improving mental health & well-being. Scottish Book Trust aims to support all communities across Scotland, with particular focus on those who are vulnerable and under-represented. 

Our programmes and outreach work include:

• Gifting books to every child in Scotland to ensure families of all backgrounds can share the joy of books at home, through Bookbug and Read, Write, Count
• Working with teachers to inspire children to develop a love of reading, creating innovative classroom activities, book awards and author events such as Authors Live with the BBC and our Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour
• Supporting and nurturing Scotland's wide-ranging literary talent, both emerging and established through our training, awards and writing opportunities including New Writers Awards
• Creating events to share books and connect writers with communities, including Book Week Scotland
• Providing support to people living with dementia and their carers through Reading is Caring

In addition to the funding we receive from the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, we need the constant support of trusts and foundations, corporate sponsors and individual donors.

Find us online at scottishbooktrust.com(this link will open in a new window). Follow @scottishbktrust on Twitter(this link will open in a new window), @scottishbooktrust on Instagram (this link will open in a new window)or like Scottish Book Trust's Facebook page(this link will open in a new window).

Book Week Scotland

Initiated by Scottish Government and supported by funds from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland Targeted Funding and SLIC, Book Week Scotland 2022 will be delivered by Scottish Book Trust from 14–20 November. This year's Book Week Scotland has also been supported by Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.

For more information about Book Week Scotland 2022 and how you can get involved, visit bookweekscotland.com(this link will open in a new window) where you can find information about all the events taking place in your local area. Follow @BookWeekScot(this link will open in a new window) and #BookWeekScotland(this link will open in a new window) on Twitter, or like the Book Week Scotland Facebook page(this link will open in a new window).

Creative Scotland 

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com(this link will open in a new window). Follow us on @CreativeScots on Twitter(this link will open in a new window), the Creative Scotland Facebook page(this link will open in a new window) and @CreativeScots on Instagram(this link will open in a new window). Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at ourcreativevoice.scot(this link will open in a new window).