<
https://www.positive.news/society/nobody-should-have-to-choose-whether-to-feed-or-read/>
"They can turn a dull commute into a fight of fantasy, help foster friendship
or deepen the bond between parent and child. Books pack an undeniably mighty
transformative punch, one that is bringing a positive plot twist to a narrative
more commonly associated with hardship.
Bookbanks is a new charity founded by London-based writer Emily Rhodes, who hit
on the idea of gifting books to guests at her local food bank. Now, after a
tentative start, she’s aiming to nourish community connection and feed
conversations by branching out across the UK. “Books for me have been a
signpost to think for myself and give me the impunity to imagine, and to face
my inner anger and fear,” says David, one of the people to have made use of the
service so far. “But also, they give me a hope, and an understanding that I’m
not alone.”
Rhodes has been immersed in books all her life. Reading avidly as a child, she
went on to study English at university and worked in publishing and bookselling
before breaking into journalism. She set up Emily’s Walking Book Club over a
decade ago, and still runs the monthly meetup on Hampstead Heath in London, as
well as freelancing as a book critic for the likes of
The Guardian and
The
Spectator.
Two years ago, she began volunteering at a food hub organised by her local
community action group in Newington Green, north-east London. “I was very aware
of books being this powerful tool, and maybe having unexpected uses and
unexpected consequences,” she says.
“People think of a book as a very solitary thing which you go and buy, then sit
down and read, but I think there’s another side to books that makes them
amazing connectors and community builders. One of the great joys of bookshops
and libraries is that they’re spaces to browse, spaces to chat, and I really
wanted to bring that to the food bank. Nobody should have to choose whether to
‘feed or read’.”
Starting out with a trestle table laden with a few hundred donated tomes,
Rhodes says the effect was extraordinary. “Everybody flocked to the table,
people were picking up books and browsing. There was an instant conversation
that began with books and went into other places very fast. On that first day
there were 35 guests accessing the food bank, and I gave out 50 books.”"
Via Kenny Chaffin.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
