Another brilliant conversation last week, this time with Liberty Venn, the founder of the Children’s Book Project’s. Within minutes it becomes clear why this charity has grown into one of the most effective literacy movements in the country. Liberty combines purpose with practicality. She is building something simple, scalable and profoundly needed.
The challenge she is tackling is huge. Around one million children in the UK do not own a single book of their own and by age eleven many are already a year behind in language and literacy. At the same time, vast numbers of perfectly good books are pulped or end up in landfill each year, not because they have lost their value but because the system is not designed to keep them in circulation. Liberty is addressing both problems at once. She is creating a route that stops books becoming waste and redirects them straight into the hands of children who will treasure them.
What stands out is the elegance of the model she has built. Every child chooses their own books at gifting events that feel joyful rather than charitable. Behind that moment sits a nationwide ecosystem of schools, communities, partners and volunteers who help move books from one family to another with remarkable efficiency. It is not loud or flashy. It is a flywheel built on trust and purpose. As Liberty put it, parents may not always remember the charity’s name, but they remember the behaviour. Pass your books on. Let another child enjoy them next.
It is no surprise that the mission has attracted serious support. Lauren Laverne, Stephen Mangan, Clare Balding and David Baddiel have all lent their voices to the cause. Brands such as Asda, Boots UK, Salesforce, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Cisco have stepped in to help amplify the work. When people hear the purpose, they lean in.
The impact is already significant. In 2025 the Children’s Book Project’s Book Project will gift more than a million books to children across the UK, reaching over 230k children nationwide. These are not just numbers. They represent moments of discovery, confidence and possibility for children who may never have owned a book before.
Liberty is building something powerful. A movement focused on literacy, reuse and dignity. A model that blends environmental responsibility with social impact. And a mission that proves what can happen when a simple idea is executed with clarity and heart.
Books should not be pulped. They should not end up in landfill. They should find their way to the children who need them most. And thanks to Liberty Venn, more of them are doing exactly that.
