Readathon

Improving lives through sponsored reading

What is Readathon?

Readathon is a sponsored reading event run in primary and secondary schools across the UK, encouraging children to read for pleasure. The children can read whatever they like, including comics, poetry, non-fiction, electronic books or just listen to stories. The money raised helps seriously ill children and the school gets free books worth 20% of the total that they raise!

Reading for pure enjoyment can transform children’s whole lives. It’s proven to be more important than wealth or social background in improving a child’s future socially, emotionally, academically and vocationally.

The money raised by schools running a Readathon helps seriously ill children through three charities: ReadWell, Readathon’s sister charity providing books and storytellers to children in hospitals; Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, which helps seriously ill and disabled children; and of course CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people.

Since Readathon began 27 years ago, it has raised more than £23 million, with tens of millions of books being read. And this year, World Book Day is on 1 March – an ideal time to hold a Readathon!

It’s simple, it’s fun and it works!

We send the school a free pack containing everything they need, including an inspiring DVD, sponsorship cards, posters, bookmarks and ideas to help teachers make their Readathon more fun. Each child sets their own reading challenge (perhaps with help from teachers, librarians or family) to read a certain number of pages or books in a set period of time. The children ask family and friends to sponsor them and then start reading!

If you would like to get your school involved, visit www.readathon.org and sign up for your free Readathon pack. Or you can call us on 0845 606 1151 or email reading@readathon.org.