Six UK companies donate 11,500 books to Book Aid International
Howard Lake | 2 December 2003 | News
Employees from six UK corporations recently took part in a “Bring a Book to Work” challenge organised by Book Aid International.
Book Aid International asked the companies’ employees to donate books for use in libraries in the developing world. In one week the employees donated 11,500 books and a contribution from each of the companies met the costs of getting these books overseas.
Although Book Aid International has forged links with many publishers in the UK, it is still unable to obtain enough books in certain subject areas, such as reference and vocational books. This fundraising appeal helped to fill that gap.
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The companies involved were Clifford Chance, Standard Chartered, Pearson, Reed Elsevier, De Beers Diamond Trading Company and the Economist Group.
The appeal was so popular with Clifford Chance employees that several of their overseas offices got involved.
The charity asked employees to donate fiction, vocational (including legal) and reference books in “good as new” condition.
Book Aid International’s Head of Fundraising, Kate Mulkern, said: “We’ve been really delighted by the response – these are exactly the kinds of books that our partner organisations need. Several of our partners in sub-Saharan Africa are working hard to realise their goal of having attractive, well-stocked libraries that are an educational resource for the local community. This project helps to take us one important step closer to that goal.”
Book Aid International celebrates its 50th birthday in 2004.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.