‘It’s made a real difference already’ – Vikings provide books for four York schools

York Vikings Rotary Club is making it as easy as ABC for primary school children to find the right word. 

Using some of the £2,000 raised over the Christmas period, the group has provided pictorial dictionaries to four school libraries. 

They have allocated a further £600 to provide reading books for children who might otherwise not have access to books at home.

The new initiative follows on from York Vikings Rotary’s donation of tablet computers to local schools to help disadvantages student during Covid lockdowns last year.

“That campaign was vital to ensure that all children had access to learning technology when schooling from home,” says York Vikings Rotary president Ron Gatenby.

“What became apparent though was that many children didn’t even have access to books and we wanted to help rectify that.”

Four primary schools in the area – Naburn CE, Tang Hall, Heworth CE and Lord Deramore’s in Heslington – have each taken delivery of 24 Usborne pictorial dictionaries from York Vikings Rotary. 

Each school has also been gifted £150 to buy other books specifically for children for whom reading at home may be a new experience.

Jonathan Green, new head teacher at Naburn Primary School, has welcomed the donation:

“It’s made a real difference already,” he says.  “The children used them immediately in a writing exercise they did. I know that the dictionaries will help to add positively to our classroom resources and build their love of words and learning.”