[4] In 1921, BookTrust (formerly the Society of Bookmen) was founded by authors Hugh Walpole and John Galsworthy, publishers Stanley Unwin and Maurice Marston and politician Harold Macmillan.
In a bid to demonstrate and champion the benefits of reading from a young age, Bookstart was created in 1992 by the charity in partnership with libraries and health visitors.
[6] The research found that Bookstart children began school with significant advantages and with higher attainment in all aspects of the nine pre-school baseline assessments.
Bookstart offers book packs for children with additional needs,[7] these include: As well as Bookstart, BookTrust also runs the following programmes and campaigns that give out books, resources and support to children: On Friday 17 December 2010 it was announced that the government would cut its entire £13 million annual grant to BookTrust's English bookgifting schemes.
After a public campaign by authors including Philip Pullman and Andrew Motion, the government announced it would negotiate with BookTrust on renewal of the funding.