Sleep.8 and Limited Space partner with Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho and the World Literacy Foundation to launch 'Bedtime Stories' in Shopping Malls

LONDON, March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Author, poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho will host the inaugural Bedtime Story video series, which involves prominent public figures reading storybooks to children to inspire a love of the written word from an early age. Broadcast in UK shopping malls and online, beginning on World Book Day (7th March 2024) and reaching 10 million households in the first week, the series aims to raise awareness around children's literacy. This comes in the wake of the World Literacy Foundation's shocking latest impact report, which reveals that up to 20% of children are reading below their expected years for a plethora of reasons including the impact of Covid home learning, first language and socio-economic divides.

The new video series has been created by home lifestyle brand Sleep.8 and retail media owner Limited Space in collaboration with the World Literacy Foundation, ultimately aiming to improve literacy levels in the UK. Bedtime Stories launched at an inclusive event for the general public held at the Sleep.8 flagship store in Bluewater, where families were invited to take part in a story time event. Children were treated to readings by Joseph Coelho from his own books, and were able to take home complimentary signed copies of the "Luna Loves…" series. The session was filmed for a nationwide broadcast which features 4 of Joseph's stories: One Little World (illus. Allison Allison Colpoys), Poems Aloud (illus. Daniel Gray-Barnett), Luna Loves Gardening and Luna Loves Library Day (illus. Fiona Lumbers). Subtitles are included in order to encourage a 'read-along' connection with young viewers, who will encounter the videos across Limited Space's Digital Billboard Mall Network and will be able to access them at home via the Sleep.8 Bedtime Stories YouTube channel.

In the UK, a staggering 20% of the population struggles with illiteracy or poor literacy skills, which significantly restricts their ability to fully participate in society. One of the primary challenges in the UK education system is the linguistic diversity in schools, where not all children speak English as their first language. This often leads to slower progress for English-speaking children and potential learning barriers for those who don't speak English fluently. Anyone who can't read over 1000 characters faces limitations in developing critical thinking skills, making them more susceptible to believing and spreading misinformation, including fake news.

Sleep.8 is a premium lifestyle and home brand which aims to improve the mental and physical health of its customers by providing everything they need to get a superior night's sleep and create a relaxation haven in their home. The brand decided to host this event alongside Limited Space and the World Literacy Foundation to bring awareness to the low levels of literacy in the East London and Dartford areas.

Andrew Kay, CEO of World Literacy Foundation, states:  "A bedtime reading routine with your child for just 20 minutes per day will change the trajectory of their life. They will be reading at grade level by Year 3 and 3 times more likely to attend university."

Samantha Sida, Co-Founder and Director at Limited Space, said: "This has been a 24 month project since we launched our partnership with the Foundation in 2022, working in connection with the UN General Assembly and Sustainability Goals which aim to give every human across the globe access to a quality education by 2030.

As a media owner in the public space, we have a moral responsibility to understand the power of our network and the effects of digital platforms. The Bedtime Stories initiative allows us to showcase engaging and fun content that is catered to young families, encouraging them to read and listen together whether in the mall, on their phones or in their homes."

For Musi Chayla, Sleep.8 Vice President of Retail, the initiative is personally significant: "As someone who was diagnosed with dyslexia in childhood, the World Literacy Foundation's mission to create a world where every child has the opportunity to acquire literacy skills and books to reach their full potential, regardless of their location or background, is one that is close to my heart. Growing up with dyslexia meant that I faced challenges in school which didn't affect my peers, and it took the care and attention of certain great teachers to give me the space and help I needed to not only overcome these, but to learn to enjoy reading. To have the opportunity to welcome the Children's Laureate to Sleep.8 with the World Literacy Foundation for the Bedtime Stories initiative, and use our store as a space to inspire a love of the written word in children nationwide is truly special to me, and an initiative which we all hope will really change lives."

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