A children’s book-gifting charity is expanding to offer free books for all young children in care across Bradford, as a new report reveals a large number of children are failing to hit reading targets.

The Bradford Imagine project, funded by charity Canterbury Imagine, will now roll out to 225 looked-after under-fives across the district after a successful pilot scheme in July.

The news comes as the Too Young To Fail report this month from Save the Children warned a large numbers of children, especially those from poorer homes, are failing to reach literacy and numeracy targets at the age of seven.

That report says: “If a child from a poor family is already behind with their reading at the age of seven, they have just over a one in five chance of going on to achieve a C in English at GCSE.”

Bradford Imagine aims to help to improve literacy, emotional development, educational attainment and life chances for this group of children, with youngsters receiving a free book through the post, addressed to them, from birth until their fifth birthday.

The children build up their own ‘imagination library’ of up to 60 books.

Canterbury Imagine, which is affiliated with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, already provides free books every month to 190 babies in the Canterbury area of the city.

Its founder Jan Winter said: “Building a love of reading early in the lives of these children will pay dividends as they progress through school and into adult life.”

Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council’s executive member for children’s services, said: “The Bradford Imagine project from Canterbury Imagine is a wonderful example of partnership that is bringing the joy of books to some of Bradford’s most important young people, those we are the parents of as a council.”

For more information, visit canterburyimagine.co.uk.