Oxford University Press (OUP) has taken to the road in a brightly coloured vintage caravan as it launches its three-year Raise a Reader initiative.

The eye-catching tourer, which is packed with free books, activities and resources, is currently in the process of visiting 10 destinations around England that have lower levels of literacy.

The Raise a Reader campaign, which is backed by celebrities such as Alesha Dixon and Louise Pentland, is looking to give children and young people the tools to become lifelong readers in the aftermath of the pandemic, and is aiming to address the results of research that looked into the barriers that stop children from achieving this.

Children's books on display inside the caravan

The tour started in Oxford on Monday 31st October, with a visit to a school that participates in the ‘Oxfordshire Raise a Reader Programme’, aiming to encourage reading in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the county.

During the tour, different OUP children’s authors and illustrators have been joining, helping with workshops and storytelling sessions.

Other destinations include Brighton & Hove, Bristol and Doncaster, before it finishes in London on Friday 11th November.

You can find out more about the trip by visiting the Raise a Reader Tour page.

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