Dolly’s book drive comes to children in Scots city
COUNTRy and Western star Dolly Parton has struck a deal with Aberdeen City Council to provide free books for the city’s most vulnerable children. The award-winning American singer plans to help underprivileged Granite City youngsters with reading after naming them as the next target for her global book giving scheme.
Her Imagination Library provides free books for children from birth to the age of five.
From next month, every child in care in Aberdeen will receive a book in the post every other month in a bid to help them reach their full potential.
Each book is personally addressed to the child and all the titles are published by Penguin Random House.
Miss Parton, born and raised the fourth of 12 children in Tennessee, has previously described her own family as ‘dirt poor’.
But since the late 1960s, the Jolene
‘Always felt a special affinity’
singer has gone from success to success with a string of country hits.
The seven-time Grammy Awardwinning artist, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, set up her Imagination Library more than 20 years ago in honour of her father, who was unable to read or write.
Miss Parton made the announcement that Aberdeen youngsters will be the latest to benefit from her literary gift yesterday as she spoke of her ‘special affinity with Scotland’.
She said: ‘I am delighted to be working with Aberdeen City Council on a project which has already brought so much joy to millions of children all over the world.
‘Being able to bring my Imagination Library programme to Aberdeen is particularly special to me as I have always felt a special affinity with Scotland.
‘Much of my music has been inspired by Scotland, so it’s only right that we are now in a position to bring more joy into the lives of looked-after children in Aberdeen.
‘When I started the Imagination Library in my hometown in Tennessee, I never dreamed of days like today.
‘I have always felt at home in Scotland and now that connection has deepened with Aberdeen’s decision to launch the Imagination Library.’
Since Miss Parton set up the first Imagination Library in 1995, her Dollywood Foundation has sent more than 70million free books to child worldwide.
The books are sent to children who have found themselves in care of one sort of another, in a bid to inspire a lifelong love of reading that they may miss out on otherwise.
Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing said: ‘Dolly is known all over the world for her phenomenal work in the arts, on screen and as a businesswoman.
‘But I believe her Imagination Library programme will be her lasting legacy, as it has the power to transform millions of lives.
‘Many of us take reading for granted and forget how lucky we are to be able to read.
‘To have the opportunity to share the joy of reading with our youngsters from the time they are born means we can encourage them to learn and enjoy reading and writing from an early age.’