User:Nick Speaker/sandbox

Readathon Readathon is a UK based charity that was founded in 1984 by Gail and Brough Girling as a scheme to encourage children to read for pleasure. In the first year they raised £130,000 which they donated to Mencap. The organisation formally became a charity in 2009. The charity’s two objectives are encouraging children to read for pleasure and helping seriously ill children.

“How Readathon has progressed” Readathon is the largest sponsored reading event in the UK, involving 300,000 pupils of all ages each year. The charity has raised more than £25 million over the last 30 years, which has been used to support good causes including CLIC Sargent, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity and Together for Short Lives. Since 2010, Readathon has also been running it’s own project (formally known as ReadWell) providing brand new books and storyteller visits to children in hospital. Currently running in 30 of the major children’s hospitals nationwide. The hospital programme is funded through the sponsored Readathons as well as individual donors and grant and trust funding applications.

The registered name of the charity is Read for Good, charity no 1130309 (England and Wales) and no SCO41036 (Scotland)