Reading Force is a registered charity (No. 1159890) and warmly welcomes help and support
We rely on funding, sponsorship and gifts-in-kind to make Reading Force available to every Service family in the UK and based overseas, and to continue working to bridge distances and to bring families closer together.
This is possible only through the generous support of others and we would like to acknowledge and thank all our individual donors, patrons, sponsors and funding bodies for their help.
Funding Awards and Sponsors
Annington Ltd
“We were impressed by the support Reading Force is giving those Service families dealing with the challenges of separation and by the simple premise that chatting about a book helps parents and children remain connected,” says Jane Harsham, Sustainability Manager for Annington. “When the charity asked us to help them fund the costs of an Ambassador for Scotland, an important element of the charity’s development strategy, we were delighted to help.”
Annington became one of the largest private owners of residential property in the UK following the purchase of 57,434 homes from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 1996. Most of these properties are leased back to the MoD.
Annington were delighted that their nomination of Reading Force in the Soldiering On Awards 2019, Family Values category, has resulted in the team being selected as a finalist.
Annington have generously continued to fund the RF Ambassador for Scotland and North England through to 2023.
Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
“Spending time together is vital for all families, none more so than RAF families who face the daily challenges of military life. This Reading Force project is an ideal way to foster those relationships and ensure children stay connected particularly while parents are deployed.” Alison Wyman, Head of Welfare Programmes & Development, RAF Benevolent Fund
The RAF Benevolent Fund is an independent charity supporting the RAF Family, providing a spectrum of services that range from the Airplay programme supporting children growing up on RAF stations, to relationship counselling for RAF couples and respite breaks for RAF families and veterans. During 2018, a grant from the RAF Benevolent Fund has enabled Reading Force to be offered to several Airplay Ben Clubs for children aged 5 to 8 and their families, giving a free book and scrapbook to each child.
The Army Central Fund
The Army Central Fund have awarded grants to Reading Force to support Army families in 2017 and 2021. The ACF is the British Army’s “own” Charity delivering financial support, by means of Grants, for the benefit of All Ranks, their families and dependants of the Serving Army including Army widows and those supporting organisations which provide expertise and assistance to the Army. The ACF also supports the Army Chain of Command in all theatres as well as the Army Families Federation (AFF).
Malvern Optical Limited
Malvern Optical Limited is a supporter of the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and country. The company has committed to supporting Reading Force over three years. The company is a research and development provider primarily in the electro-optic and electromagnetic (radio-frequency) systems domains. Formed in 2010, and based on Pershore Airfield, Worcs, the team at Malvern Optical are experts in their fields with many years of experience in a research and test laboratory environment.
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion funding over three years has enabled RF to reach many more Forces families and their extended family members. Working with the Legion, we continue to focus on supporting more families and increasing intergenerational activity by involving extended family members and grandparents. The Royal British Legion provides lifelong support for the Armed Forces community - serving men and women, veterans, and their families.
Daniel Elser, Head of Grants & Social Policy for The Royal British Legion, said: “This funding will enable Reading Force to continue to provide its unique offering in support of the Armed Forces community, helping family members – whether young or old, or based in the UK or overseas – stay in touch through sharing books and stories. Reading Force’s ambition to keep families connected is one that we share, and we’re excited to work together on this initiative.”
ABF The Soldiers' Charity
ABF Soldiers’ Charity have generously supported Reading Force since 2014 on various projects, and has in recent years awarded the charity core funding, enabling it to reach and support many more families with its signature shared reading materials and to work with Army welfare services and other organisations to ensure efficient and far reaching delivery.
RF would like to express special thanks for ABF’s additional support during the height of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Peter Cruddas Foundation
The Peter Cruddas Foundation awarded funding in 2020 and 2021 including a grant for the development of a new RF resource for teens. This funding covered both research into what young people would like in a journal, and the production of the journal. The sponsored production of this new resource means RF can now offer children and young people of all ages appropriate resources.
Chelford House Christian Fellowship Trust
Chelford House Christian Fellowship Trust - have been supporting Reading Force since 2016 with a grant to buy books for Service families.
“We are keen to support Reading Force because of our appreciation for the Armed Forces, love of books and reading, and appreciation for good print! We only contribute to charities that we trust 100%, and that certainly applies to Reading Force.”
Oliver Allmand-Smith, Chelford House Trust
The RF team were thrilled that in early 2020 Alison Allmand-Smith ventured to the Arctic in a sponsored expedition to raise £3,000 for Reading Force!
Armed Forces Education Trust
The Armed Forces Education Trust awarded a grant in 2021 for the development of a new RF resource for teens. This funding covered both research into what young people would like in a journal, and the production of the journal. The sponsored production of this new resource means RF can now offer children and young people of all ages appropriate resources.
How KU support Reading Force
KU has supported Reading Force since its start. The Department of Academic Development and the Faculty of Business and Law have awarded funds throughout the project. Research on Reading Force has been included as a KU practice as research Impact Case Study and associated papers presented at several academic conferences.
WRD Magazine
WRD Magazine generously donate a significant number of copies of the seasonal magazine packed with book reviews and features (for readers aged 8-12) to RF, for it to be included in the RF book packages posted to families.
How Armed Forces Covenant LIBOR Fund support Reading Force
Reading Force has been supported by the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund, the Government’s long-term commitment to supporting schemes under the Armed Forces Covenant, since 2013 with a number of grants to support our core work and associated projects. The Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust runs programmes of funding awards from the Government’s long-term commitment to supporting schemes under the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.
Reading Force has been awarded grants for various projects since 2015. These include supporting veterans in custody, development of an early years shared-reading initiative to support families during challenging times, increased support to families during Covid-19 lockdowns, and organising book clubs to help reduce social isolation. A 3-year grant 2020-2023 by the ‘Removing Barriers to Family Life’ programme, is enabling greater awareness and reach for military families enabling them to take part in the RF shared reading initiatives
The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) and strategic partner Greenwich Hospital have generously supported Reading Force with grants since 2019 to provide RF to naval families.
The RNRMC provides consistent and unwavering support to serving and former members of the Naval Service and their families during times of need.
The Veterans’ Foundation have supported Reading Force with grants to cover the costs of books and scrapbooks for families, collaboration with organisations to raise awareness of the initiative and to reach veterans and their families in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The VF assist people who are serving or who have served in the British armed forces, and their dependants, by advancing any lawful charitable purpose at the discretion of the trustees making grants to other charities who assist serving and former members of the armed forces and their dependants who are in need.
David Shaw, CEO and founder of the Veteran’s Foundation: ‘We are delighted Reading Force is helping armed forces veterans and their families to become excited by reading together. It will provide them greater opportunity and benefit others with whom they work or socialise.’
Bolt Burdon Kemp is a leading law firm specialising in securing compensation for those who have suffered serious injury, whether through accident or medical negligence. Their dedicated Military Claims team are passionate about representing veterans and service personnel who have sustained a serious physical or mental health injury.
Victoria Sedgwick, Solicitor in the Military Team at BBK, says ‘We have seen first-hand the wider impact an injury can have on the family, who often provide care, love and support during the recovery period and beyond. We are thrilled to be Reading Force’s first platinum sponsor and we wholeheartedly support the work they do to enable military families to spend time together during challenging times.’
BBK understand how an injury impacts not just the injured person but also those closest to them. An injury can often lead to a medical discharge and having to adjust to life in the civilian sector whilst also coming to terms with an injury and the uncertainty of what the future holds for the individual and often, their families too. The love, support and strength of family plays a vital role during this difficult time.
BBK are delighted to sponsor Reading Force which helps to keep military families close and connected during difficult times. As dedicated military solicitors we are excited to share this initiative with our existing clients and support the charity with their vital work, long into the future.
Publishers
Reading Force is all about sharing books and we are grateful for the generous support of publishers. These are some of the ways publishers and publishing organisations have helped us:
- Hachette Children’s Publishing have generously sponsored prizes for the inaugural Reading Force Writing Competition, February/March 2022
- Harper Collins gave 50 copies of ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ for children at a special Reading Force family day
- Scholastic, Walker Books, Bloomsbury, Andersen Press, and Zephyr have given books for RF families to review for Army & You magazine
- Barrington Stoke gave us boxes of books for our Reading Force Roadshow
- For the last two years, at Christmas, the Booksellers Association have given us hundreds of books for children, including titles nominated for the Costa Award
We would like to thank Puffin, Macmillan, Random House, Usborne, Walker, Scholastic, Andersen Press, Bloomsbury, Red Fox, Piccadilly Press, Egmont, Oxford University Press, Frances Lincoln, Nosy Crow, Zephyr, and Barrington Stoke. If you are a UK publisher and would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Please email hattie@readingforce.org.uk.
“We had so much fun when the postman came as we didn’t know what book Freddie would be getting …
…Reading Force sent us this book, it is the second book they have sent us now and we like how much reading brings us together at any time of the day. Mum also likes seeing Daddy reading to Freddie and Freddie pointing out things in the books. This is a lovely dad and son bonding time.”
The Jackson family