To mark World Book Day 2025 (Thursday 6 March), the Premier League will be giving away more than 28,000 free books to children across England and Wales through its Premier League Primary Stars education programme. The books have been donated to the programme by the World Book Day Charity, run in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.
Since Premier League Primary Stars began in 2017, more than 300,000 free books have been gifted to young people with an estimated value of £2.4million.
Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of football to help children to learn, be active and develop essential life skills and is available to every primary school in England and Wales. More than 70,000 teachers have engaged with the programme to date, giving them access to more than 650 free downloadable resources across Maths, English, PE and PSHE.
Pompey in the Community is one of 103 professional football club charities across England and Wales to benefit from 275 free books, which they will be able to give away to local partner primary schools in Portsmouth and the surrounding area as part of their in-classroom Premier League Primary Stars session delivery.
Taylor Monk, Head of Community Projects at Pompey in the Community said:
“World Book Day gives us, as a Club Community Organisation, a wonderful opportunity to engage thousands of people with the power of reading, writing, and illustrating. While I have a personal passion for football, I’m especially fortunate to have a role that allows me to combine that love with the goal of inspiring future generations of book lovers and storytellers. By using the club’s influence, we can help spark creativity, imagination, and a lifelong love of books among young readers. It’s a unique and exciting way to make an impact on the community.”
World Book Day aims to promote the many benefits of reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.
To create more opportunities for pupils to experience the joy of reading, the Premier League and the National Literacy Trust ran a free, fun-filled live online event hosted by teacher and author Kit Brown and featuring the Football School authors Ben Lyttleton and Alex Bellos.
The Great World Book Day 2025 Footy & Booky Quiz literacytrust.org.uk/world-book-day-live was open to all primary schools across England and Wales to join and engage pupils in reading activities and showcase reading role models through the medium of football.
Premier League Charitable Fund Chief Executive, Ruth Shaw, said:
“Since 2017, more than a quarter of a million children across England and Wales have received a free book thanks to Premier League Primary Stars and the National Literacy Trust. We understand the crucial role that reading for enjoyment has in building confidence and promoting positive mental health in young people. Through the Premier League Primary Stars education programme, we are committed to helping children access the benefits that reading offers.”
According to National Literacy Trust research one in eight children said they did not own a book of their own at home, the highest percentage seen since 2016.
Jim Sells, Sport and Literacy Programme Manager at the National Literacy Trust said:
“World Book Day celebrates reading for pleasure for everyone, which is central to our vision at the National Literacy Trust. Choosing a book of their own can inspire a child’s love of reading, give them confidence, and support them at school. Our goal is to engage those who need support this World Book Day through inclusive activities, like our free live quiz and wide-scale book donations, inspiring a life-long love of books and reading, and empowering children and young people with the words to shape their own futures.”
Cassie Chadderton, CEO at World Book Day said: “World Book Day’s purpose is to unlock the fun of reading for all children, and we are delighted to partner with National Literary Trust again this year, to ensure even more children get access to our £1 books. By letting go of pressure and embracing choice, we can help more children find the fun in reading and unlock the incredible benefits it brings.”
For more information, please visit www.pompeyitc.co.uk/premier-league-primary-stars
