New £20k library opens after school's fundraising

A Berkshire primary school has officially opened a new library after raising more than £20,000 in donations.

Redlands Primary School, in Reading, held a successful fundraising campaign to revamp its tired library, with money coming from as far away as the United States.

One in seven primary schools do have their own libraries, according to the National Literacy Trust.

The school's interim head Laura Kerr said the old library did not feel "accessible", but 2,000 new books, as well as better lighting and seating, have spruced it up.

She said pupils helped choose books, artwork and events held to help fund it.

"Schools are in a difficult position. Budgets are finite and you have to prioritise," Mrs Kerr said.

"You have to make sure that children have got access to everything they need educationally and you have to work out what you might fundraise externally.

"It's a shame that schools have to fundraise but I also think it brings the community together and it gives them a sense of what we're prioritising for their children."

Parent Stéph Mitchell said the reaction to the appeal had been "really heartening".

"We have been lucky that we've got a good community around us and we have done a lot of hard work to raise the money so we could actually do it ourselves," she added.

As of Monday, the school had raised just over £20,700 and was closing in on its £23,000 target.

Authors including children's laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Simon Scarrow and Louie Stowell donated to appeal, along with A.F. Harrold, who officially opened the library on Monday.

He said it would help children explore books that "set your heart, your head, on fire".

"That access to the whole range, to explore it at your own pace, in your own time, is so important to growing the human soul," he added.

You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.