Dolly Parton's free children's book scheme expands to 10 London boroughs - is your area one of them?

Dolly Parton's book gifting programme is being expanded across 10 London boroughs thanks to £5 million in funding.Thanks to the funding from players of the Postcode Lottery, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will now operate in Wandsworth, Camden, Hackney, Greenwich, Lewisham, Newham and Barking and Dagenham.The programme already runs in Lambeth, Southwark and the City of London, as well as other parts of the UK.The funding will mean that 157,000 children across the capital are now eligible for the scheme, which posts children a free book every month until their fifth birthday.The scheme is universal, meaning every child in a participating area can sign up regardless of their family's income.The expansion is being marked with a celebration at the British Library ahead of Give Like Dolly Day on September 25.Dolly Parton PA ArchiveThe programme was founded by the country singer in 1995, in tribute to her father who could not read or write.It has delivered over 300 million books to children and families around the world, operating in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland.According to The Dollywood Foundation, more than seven million books have been delivered to children in the UK.Jeff Conyers, president of the Dollywood Foundation, said, “Dolly believed passionately that every child deserved the chance to fall in love with books, and she spent her life turning that belief into something real. Read More“This expansion means her extraordinary work does not simply continue, it grows. Thanks to Postcode Lottery players, thousands more children will now know the excitement of a book arriving through their door every month. “There could be no more fitting way to honour Dolly than to keep doing what she asked us to do: put books into children’s hands, open them together and make time for a story. It’s a small act, but very much in Dolly’s spirit - turning love and generosity into something that can change a child’s life.” 157,000 children across the capital are now eligible for the schemePALondon mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a wonderful tribute to her incredible commitment to help children learn to read. “Dolly was an extraordinary talent whose warmth and generosity touched the lives of millions and it’s fantastic that over 150,000 children in London will now receive a free book every month.“Sharing a story is a simple and enjoyable way to inspire, educate and connect with children, and I encourage families across the capital to sit down and read a book together in honour of Dolly.”The announcement comes amid concern about how often young children are read to, with figures suggesting that just 41% of children aged four and under are read to frequently, compared to 64% in 2012.