Bookbanks

Founded in 2023, Bookbanks aims to improve literacy and encourage reading for pleasure among people experiencing financial hardship. It does this by running weekly pop-up book stalls at partner foodbanks across England. Volunteers – including booksellers, librarians, and publishing professionals – carefully curate titles tailored to the cultural and demographic profiles of each location. They staff the stalls themselves, sharing recommendations through one-to-one conversations with foodbank users. Bookbanks also extends its offer through literary events at foodbank sites, including author talks and writing workshops.