Sharing the love of reading

The Little Book Boxes initiative will now be managed by a group of enthusiastic local volunteers and friends.

Local children now have the opportunity to read wherever they go out in the community. Little Book Boxes encourages community members to read a book, take a book, love a book, and if they wish, leave a book.

Hosted by various local businesses across Portland, Narrawong, and Heywood districts, there are over 20 book boxes aimed at increasing early childhood exposure to reading.

Established in 2017 with the support of VCAL students at South West TAFE, the project faced a temporary hiatus when the students were forced to close down for 12 months due to floods.

During this time, students from the Portland Re-engagement Centre stepped up, volunteering for three years before passing the reins to a dedicated friendship group of six volunteers.

The new volunteers, fuelled by a passion to see more books in the hands of children, and themselves avid readers, are committed to seeing children pick up a book instead of a screen when out and about in the community.

Helen Westhorpe, leading the volunteers, reflected on the impact of the Little Book Boxes.

“During a recent wait for an appointment, I witnessed the immense value of these book boxes,” Helen said. “Seeing a child choose a book from the box and eagerly start reading was truly heartwarming.”

United Way Glenelg executive officer Nicole Carr said she was excited about the new volunteers taking over the initiative, highlighting its importance in encouraging children to read.

“Little Book Boxes are a great way to get more books into the homes of children,” Ms Carr said. “They are free to take, and we encourage children to take as many as they want.”

All the books available are pre-loved, often sourced from the homes of older children who received books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library when they were young.

If your business or sporting club would like to host a Little Book Box please contact United Way Glenelg on [email protected]