Salford parents are being invited to sign up their children and enrol them into Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library programme.
Parents in Little Hulton of children born in 2024 and 2025 are being encouraged to sign up to the scheme, with Salford City Council aiming to inspire a love of reading in children.
The encouragement was started with families being invited to Little Hulton Library today (January 27 2025) and reading to their babies ahead of the scheme being launched.
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library began in 1995, when the country icon Dolly was inspired by her father’s inability to read or write in her home country.
Since then, her programme spans five countries and gifts over three million free books each month to children, regardless of the family’s income.
Last year, Dolly celebrated her 200 millionth book gifted milestone since inception, with over six million of those going to families in the UK.
The programme posts an age-appropriate book each month to children from birth to age five – and will be of no cost to the family.
The books are wrapped and delivered to the children until they turn five, and receive a graduation book and a special letter to mark the end of the scheme.
This scheme will be influential to the future generations of Salford children, as the city is currently being reported as the 18th most deprived area in the country.
Since 2013 2,000 children have been impacted by the programme and over 36,500 books sent to children in Salford, with seven Dolly Parton Imagination Libraries based in the city.
The Little Hulton scheme will provide books for local children, with Salford City Council will providing additional funding to run the scheme.
Councillor Jim Cammell, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services at Salford City Council, said: “It’s great news that we are able to launch another Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Salford.
“This will add to our work to improve educational outcomes and literacy for early years children in the city.”
Cllr Cammell continued: “We are committed to working in partnership with all our communities to ensure Salford is a great place, where children get the best start in life.
“Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will support the work of the hub by promoting reading from the early years of a child’s life.”
The local library team in Little Hulton will also be supporting the programme, working with local families to promote literacy, and reading for pleasure more widely.
Meg Fletcher, Regional Director at The Dollywood Foundation from Dolly Parton Imagination Library, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Salford City Council to reach even more children in the community.
“We’re building on a strong history of programmes in the city thanks to the tireless efforts of our champions and hope that families enjoy receiving the books each month!”
The work towards Salford’s younger generations will work towards Salford becoming a UNICEF Child-Friendly City is a priority in the council’s corporate plan.
The effort will ensure that Salford is a great place for children and young people to grow up and feel safe, cared for, heard and have quality opportunities to play, learn and work.
The plan will aim to help Salford children have positive and successful futures.
Families with babies born in Little Hulton in 2024 or 2025 can enrol by emailing West.Locality@salford.gov.uk for more information.
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