We are Doorstep Library, a community-focused charity dedicated to bringing the magic of books and the joy of reading directly into the homes of children across London who need our support.
Our work is concentrated in areas where we know opportunities for reading are restricted – there may be limited access to books in the home or language barriers may be preventing parents or guardians from being able to provide additional reading support to the children in their care.
Equipped with a reading stool and a supply of books, our volunteers are right there on the doorstep, in person or online, ready to help. We use books to fuel children’s natural love of stories, fire their imaginations, and encourage their appreciation of reading. Our ultimate goal is to help them develop the self-confidence and essential skills they need to access all the opportunities that will come their way in life. Our projects not only improve literacy and confidence in children, but they increase family wellbeing and bonding through the joy of sharing stories. Our impact is long-lasting.
Here in the UK, how well you read has a direct bearing on how well you do in life. For various reasons, not just the cost of living, children coming from disadvantaged areas are less likely to have books, less likely to read with their parents and less likely to read for pleasure. Not only are they more likely to fall behind in their studies as a result, but they also fall behind in their lives. Amongst developed nations, it is the UK that shows the clearest link between poor literacy and unemployment. For most children, there is no way back, because much of what support there is doesn’t reach its target. We leave our most vulnerable children behind. Doorstep Library exists to help as many of these vulnerable families as we can. We believe in the power of words to take children places, not just in their imagination, but in their lives. We want to see a world where all children can thrive in homes in which books are celebrated and a love of reading is embraced.
Our Opportunities
