The Launch of the Salford Literacy Trust Trail

The Salford Literacy Bookbench Trail is launching today and we are delighted to share the final images of our sponsored benches; we hope the trail is a huge success!

The trail in partnership with Bupa Foundation immerses families in a world of storytelling with Salford Book Benches designed by fantastic local artists and illustrators.

From Thursday 14th July to Friday 9th September 2022, the bespoke ‘BookBench’ sculptures will be exhibited on the streets of Salford, created in a unique collaboration between local school children and artists.

About the Salford Literacy Trail

The Salford Literacy Trail is a partnership between the National Literacy Trust and the Bupa Foundation. To create the benches artists will work with primary school children across Salford to
design a bench that captures how their favourite books inspire them and make them feel.

The BookBenches are placed throughout key locations across Salford, including near the Blue Peter Garden and around MediaCity, and Salford Cathedral, Salford Museum and Art Gallery, RHS Bridgewater and Salford Shopping Centre. It is a unique opportunity for families to explore their local area, discover the benefits and joys of reading and engage with stories together.

The Trail celebrates the local community, providing an opportunity for families to come together, connect with each other and their city, and raise awareness of the positive links between reading and mental wellbeing.

Research from the National Literacy Trust shows that children who are the most engaged with literacy are three times more likely to have higher levels of mental wellbeing than their least engaged peers.

“We want to create an environment where every child in Salford has the opportunity to engage with stories and books that reflect their lives, offer them comfort, or an exciting escape,” says Mike, Leyland, the National Literacy Trust’s Programme Manager for this project.

“We hope that the Salford Literacy Trail starts conversations in families, at schools and in communities about stories that have affected them, or that have shown them a different view on life, and encourages an even greater love of reading in everyone who takes part. Our research has shown that during lockdown, 3 in 5 children said that reading made them feel better, and 3 in 10 that reading helped them when they felt sad. We want all children to have access to that comfort and support.”

About Krome Technologies’ sponsored benches

Krome Technologies, who have an office located in Salford Quays, is delighted to support the project by sponsoring two of these unique benches, helping to support literacy and wellbeing in the local area of Salford.

One of the Krome benches will be situated near the Blue Peter Garden and has been created by artist Amanda Quellin in consultation with Willow Tree Primary School.

The other bench will be in MediaCity, next to Bupa House, and the artist for this bench will be Jenny Leonard, working with the children at Lark Hill Community Primary School.

The BookBenches are being created with the help of Wild in Art, a specialist organisation behind many other successful trails, such as Bee in the City, Elmer’s Great North Parade, and Walking with The Snowman.

Sam Mager, Commercial Director at Krome Technologies commented:

“I had the absolute pleasure of attending the launch of the Salford Book Bench trail, a fantastic initiative delivered by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with Bupa, to inspire children to connect with literacy and to encourage a passion for reading. The trail celebrates the local community, providing an opportunity for families to come together, connect with each other and their city, and raise awareness of the positive links between reading and mental wellbeing.”

About the National Literacy Trust

The National Literacy Trust’s mission is to improve the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills of those who need it most, giving them the best possible chance of success in school, work and life. They run Literacy Hubs and campaigns in communities where low levels of literacy and social mobility are seriously impacting people’s lives and provide support to schools and early years settings to deliver outstanding literacy provision, campaigning to make literacy a priority for politicians, businesses and parents.

Visit literacytrust.org.uk to find out more.