Campaign bids to raise literacy rates in families

National Family Week is launching the Story Time element of the week-long event this week with the aim of helping to raise literacy rates within families.

National Family Week has been created by Henley Media Group and has the endorsement of the Government. It has also secured the involvement of several brands, including car manufacturer Seat UK, Pizza Hut and Legoland.

Story Time will see Henley Media Group working with the National Literacy Council to boost awareness of the importance of reading within the family. There are to be reading events across the country in libraries and with partners such as Capital Shopping Centres.

National Family Week kicked off on Bank Holiday Monday with a national series of picnics, including a flagship event at Regent’s Park. The event received support from its sponsors and also involved a number of celebrities. The picnics were hailed as a Guinness world record, with 115 gatherings taking place across the country at 1pm.

Support for the week has been created by a six-month social marketing campaign that encouraged family-focused organisations in the UK to become involved.

More than 150 influential not-for-profit organisations have been involved, including The Women’s Institute, 4Children and the Change4Life campaign.

Henley Media Group managing director Nick Henry says that National Family Week meets a demand for a vehicle that unites Government, not-for-profit organisations and commercial brands in the family space, in much the same way as parenting club Bounty does for pre-natal.