Last week, housebuilder Barratt Developments South Wales, unveiled a ‘little library’ at its Parc Fferm Wen development in St Athan — encouraging local children to find joy in reading.
Already overflowing with books donated by locals and Barratt staff, the library is a place where young people can swap an existing book with a new one of their choice — just like the pupils of St Athan Primary School.
Thirty pupils headed to the site today, each armed with a book ready to be passed along to a new owner. They then selected a new second-hand book from the shelf — following its official opening by year six pupil, Olivia.
Olivia White said: “Some children think reading is boring — but we disagree! My favourite author is Kaylynn Bayron, so I’m hoping to see some of their books in the library.”
Patricia Broomfield, Acting Deputy Head Teacher at St Athan Primary School, said: “Reading is not only an important life skill, but it is also a great pleasure, so it’s wonderful to see the students getting so excited about it.”
“Having access to such a range of books is an amazing local resource, and I hope it will inspire some future bookworms in our community.”
The new communal library — located next to the show home — is just one chapter in the story of Barratt’s commitment to encouraging children’s literacy. The housebuilder has worked with UK reading charity, Bookmark, since 2022 — donating over £100,000 to aid the charity’s mission of giving children the reading skills and confidence they need for a fair chance in life.
Barratt team members have volunteered with the charity, too — spending time reading with children across the UK. This work was particularly important during the Covid pandemic, when children didn’t have access to their usual classroom activities.
Lewis Allwood, Charity Champion for Barratt Homes South Wales, said: “At Barratt, we are committed to making a positive impact in the communities we’re building in — particularly for young people who are the future of these communities.
“We hope the new library will inspire the next generation of bookworms in St Athan and the surrounding area — happy reading!”
