Orbital event highlights decade of local support for children's reading
Orbital Shopping Park in north Swindon this week hosted a storytelling and activity day to mark its tenth year taking part in British Land’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust. The event brought together pupils from Ruskin Junior School and Greenmeadow Primary School for performances, hands-on activities and a chance to choose a book to keep.
The day featured a poetry performance by award-winning poet Dommy B at North Swindon Library before children moved to the shopping park to take part in biodiversity workshops with Nurture Landscapes and meet representatives from Wiltshire Police and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, who displayed their emergency vehicles.
"The Young Readers Programme has been making a difference in communities across the UK for 15 years," said Tom Mitchell, Centre Manager at Orbital Shopping Park, reflecting on the scheme’s impact locally and nationally.
Organisers say a total of 167 pupils attended this year’s Swindon event. Since the scheme began at Orbital, organisers report it has supported more than 2,160 local children and resulted in the donation of over 6,490 books. At national level, the Young Readers Programme has engaged more than 80,000 children living near British Land locations since the initiative launched in 2011.
- Who took part: pupils from Ruskin Junior School and Greenmeadow Primary School
- Activities: storytelling, poetry, biodiversity workshops, emergency services demonstrations
- Gifts: every child chose a book to take home as part of the programme
Local benefits and context
For families in Swindon, the event offers more than a single morning of entertainment. The Young Readers Programme is designed to build reading confidence, nurture a habit of reading for pleasure and broaden access to books outside classroom settings. The involvement of local services — library staff, landscapers, police and fire crews — also creates opportunities for children to connect with community institutions in informal settings.
Supporters say such initiatives can help address inequalities in access to books and reading experiences. In Swindon — a town with a mixture of long-established residential areas and newer developments — community-based reading projects can complement work done by schools, libraries and children’s charities to boost literacy and engagement.
| Measure | Local (Orbital) | National (British Land partnership) |
|---|---|---|
| Years of local activity | 10 | — |
| Children supported at Orbital | 2,160+ | — |
| Books donated at Orbital | 6,490+ | — |
| Children reached nationally | — | 80,000+ |
| Attendees at this year’s Swindon event | 167 | — |
What this means for Swindon residents
For parents and educators in Swindon, the programme offers an additional avenue for children to discover reading beyond the classroom, while reinforcing the role of public spaces — such as shopping centres and libraries — as community hubs. The combination of storytelling, creative activities and engagement with public services provides a multi-faceted experience intended to make books more accessible and enjoyable.
Organisers from Orbital and the National Literacy Trust describe the gathering as part of a long-term commitment to developing reading identities among young people. For local civic bodies and voluntary groups, continued collaboration with commercial partners may be an effective way to sustain and expand such outreach in the town.
Further information on upcoming Young Readers events and library activities for children in Swindon can be obtained from North Swindon Library and Orbital Shopping Park’s community outreach contacts.
