BESA, the trade association for education suppliers today announced Book Aid International as its Charity of the Year for the next two years. The partnership will last until February 2017 and will see BESA and its members supporting Book Aid International’s work in libraries in sub-Saharan Africa.
The partnership with BESA will help to raise the profile of Book Aid International, a charity which works to support vibrant libraries in sub-Saharan Africa. BESA and its members will be able to support the work of Book Aid International in a variety of ways, including fundraising, donations, gifts in kind and volunteering. The charity will also be promoted at the ERA awards and the BETT awards over the next two years. Book Aid International succeeds Street Child Africa as BESA’s charity of the year.
“In choosing Book Aid International as BESA’s charity for the next two years, we recognised the important work that the organisation undertakes in raising literacy levels in sub-Saharan Africa. We know that our members will find resonance in this ideal and will actively engage in supporting the charity through donations and fundraising activities.” Caroline Wright, Director, BESA
Book Aid International works to improve prospects for learning and literacy in sub-Saharan Africa by providing books and training to support an environment in which reading for pleasure, study and lifelong learning can flourish. In 2014, Book Aid International sent more than one million brand new books, donated by UK publishers, to libraries in Africa. The charity, which works through a network of library partners, also provides training and grants to libraries to help communities and individuals make the most of the books they receive.
Alison Hubert, Director of Book Aid International said: “We are delighted to have been named as BESA’s Charity of the Year. At Book Aid International, we know that books, reading and education have the power to change lives, and working closely with an organisation dedicated to improving educational environments is a perfect fit for us. We look forward to working with BESA to find new ways to support vibrant libraries in some of the world’s poorest communities.”
BESA is a trade association, which works on behalf of its members to support UK-based companies that supply goods and services to the education sector. BESA has over 300 members, which have a collective turnover of more than £1.8 billion per year.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information and comment please contact Jessica Faulkner, Head of Communications at Book Aid International.
e: Jessica.faulkner@bookaid.org
t: 020 7326 5800
m: 07812 800 294
Book Aid International
Book Aid International works in partnership with libraries in Africa, providing new books, resources and training to support an environment in which reading for pleasure, study and lifelong learning can flourish. The charity’s vision is of vibrant libraries that inspire readers and empower communities.
