A LONG-STANDING supporter of the Bridport Literary Festival has launched a community book drive in west Dorset. 

Kitson and Trotman has built up the book drive as it hopes to promote reading for those who find it inaccessible. 

As part of the community book drive, the law firm is looking to provide books to local schools and organisations helping children, teenagers and young adults who are disadvantaged.

The firm is asking the local community to help by donating new, or good quality second-hand books, for them to distribute.

A report entitled ‘Book ownership, literacy engagement and mental welling’, which has been prepared and published by the National Literacy Trust states that one in four disadvantaged children across the UK have fewer than ten books of their own at home, and one in eight have none.

The report also comments on the direct link between book ownership and improved mental health among children and a greater propensity to read for pleasure, whilst reading fluency itself has a significant impact on children’s successful progression through education.

By the age of 11, there is a 12-month language development gap between children from book-rich homes and those with fewer than ten books.

From this week there will be donation points at its offices at Beaminster, off Hogshill Street, and Bridport in Chancery Lane. These points will remain open until Friday, December 9.