A Gift That Will Last a Lifetime

Year 6 recently enjoyed a memorable trip to Waterstones in Newcastle, made possible thanks to an incredibly generous gift from Billy, one of our valued volunteers from the School Reader Scheme.

As a special leaving gift, Billy presented every Year 6 child with a £10 Waterstones gift card – including children with whom he had not worked directly. The generosity of this gesture left both adults and children alike overwhelmed. Billy's kindness and commitment to encouraging a love of reading is something truly special, and the Year 6 team were determined to make the most of his wonderful gift.

To ensure the children could choose books that they would genuinely enjoy, we quickly arranged a trip by public transport to Waterstones Newcastle, the largest bookshop in the Northeast. The children relished the opportunity to browse the shelves, explore different genres and discover new authors. After much deliberation, they finally selected the books they wanted to take home and treasure.

Unfortunately, Billy was unable to join us on the visit as he already had plans, but he was certainly with us in spirit throughout the day. In fact, some children were so engrossed in their new books that they began reading them on the bus journey home!

Back at school, we kept the books for a little longer so that the children could share their choices with Billy. He then took the time to write a personalised message in every single book, making an already thoughtful gift even more meaningful.

When we thanked Billy for his generosity, he simply explained that he wanted to know that the children would always have a book. Those who know Billy will not be surprised by this sentiment. His passion for reading is evident to all; on the days he volunteers in school, he can often be found with his head buried in a book during break times, eager to share his enthusiasm for stories and reading with others.

Billy's kindness has provided our Year 6 children with not only a lasting memento of their time at Oxclose, but also the opportunity to discover books they can enjoy for years to come.

A massive thank you to Billy for your extraordinary generosity, unwavering support and dedication to fostering a love of reading in our children. Your gift will be remembered long after Year 6 have left Oxclose.