A DOLLY Parton Imagination Library project will be set up in a North Yorkshire town as part of a plan to encourage reading and school readiness.
Families in Selby who sign up will receive a free book through the post once a month until their child turns five, as part of a Dolly Parton Imagination Library project approved by David Skaith, the elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.
The scheme is part of a ‘Cradle to Career’ campaign to support young people across the region and to offer them the best start in life. The £400,000 scheme will fund two pilot projects: a baby box pilot in Scarborough, based on a Finnish model, and the children’s literacy scheme in Selby.
Speaking at a meeting on Friday, September 11, Mr Skaith said: “The Dolly Parton Imagination Library aims to improve early literacy and school readiness and encourage a love of reading and stronger family bonds.
“I know the opportunity and enjoyment I take from reading to my two young children and the opportunity it has to give children the best start in life.
“The timing of this follows the death of Dolly Parton, who knew what it was like to grow up in abject poverty and the importance that reading and literacy had on her to build a better life for her and her family.
“The Dolly Parton Imagination Library has donated more than 330 million books worldwide, and we are incredibly proud that Selby will be the next home of the chapter of her legacy.”
The country singer from Tennessee died last month after a seven-decade career spanning 10 Grammy awards, the sale of more than 100 million records worldwide, and the writing of over 3,000 songs.
Founded by Ms Parton in 1995, the Imagination Library has become one of the world’s best-known early literacy programmes, helping millions of children develop a lifelong love of reading.
The Cradle to Career ambition reflects Mayor David Skaith’s commitment to ensuring children and young people across the region have the support, opportunities and skills they need at every stage of their journey.
Since launching in the UK in 2007, the Imagination Library has provided more than seven million books to over 60,000 children.
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Speaking at a meeting of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) on Friday, Cllr Mark Crane, the deputy leader of North Yorkshire Council, said: “Of course this project was started before she died and I think she leaves a fantastic legacy in the work she has done.
“We are all indebted to her for the fantastic things she did, and she would have been a billionaire if she hadn’t done all the charity projects she did.”
Cllr Bob Webb, a member of the YNYCA cabinet, highlighted the importance of “fostering a love of reading for children and, importantly, for their families as well”.
He said: “That practice of reading together and for a child to see their parents reading makes such a difference to their lives in terms of developing cognition, speech and language.
“I read recently, following Parton’s death, that it was really close to her heart because she felt her father didn’t reach his full potential because he couldn’t read because they came from an incredibly impoverished background.
“We know that if we can get comprehension right, so the ability to understand the world around them, then young people can access that world around them much more easily because they have that capital and can learn and engage whether in school, their lives, or in their careers.”
The ambition for Cradle to Career will also cover primary, secondary and post-16 education ages, including careers days, career hubs, apprenticeships and internships in areas such as teaching, construction and STEM-based subjects.
The initiative supports the Mayor’s priority of creating Healthy and Resilient Communities by improving outcomes for children and young people, helping them to thrive throughout education and into employment.
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