Preston mum launches summer book hunt to encourage reading for fun across the city

Kim Hughes, who is setting up the book hunt, with her baby daughter.

A 34-year-old mum from Preston has launched a summer book hunt to encourage reading for fun across the city.

Kim Hughes who runs a pop-up bookshop, Nancy’s Treasure Island, came up with the initiative from her passion for ‘putting books into children’s hands to encourage them to read more’.

She has ordered over 400 books which she plans to hide in various places around the city centre for children to find, read and then re-hide.

She said: “Summer is a time where children’s regular reading that they would normally do at school can slide as other activities take over and some children don’t have books at home.

“It’s a fun way to get children out in the fresh air, and get a bit of exercise too.”

Kim has over 400 books which she will hide around the city centre.

Kim has been calling on local businesses to support her initiative by sponsoring a book. So far, she has had over 20 sponsors which include Oakhill Vets, Preston Basketball and Lush.

The hunt is due to begin on the first week in August with clues of locations being announced on Kim’s Facebook page.

With the help of her friends, Kim will hide the books with the aim of ‘spreading some love’ around Preston.

Alongside this, she has begun to do sponsored book reads for schools and individuals as an independent partner for Usborne Books. Money raised can go towards buying books for a school or a child’s personal library.

The hunt will begin in August with books for children of all ages and abilities.

For more details you can follow Nancy’s Treasure Island on Facebook and for book-hunting clues join her group – Look For A Book.

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