Bookmark Box for Ukraine
bookmark reading charity’s 2022 emergency appeal
what was the bookmark box for ukraine appeal?
Ukrainian children and their families in Merton receiving the first Bookmark Boxes for Ukraine
Over two million children fled Ukraine in 2022. Thousands of these children arrived in the UK having left their loved ones, education and homes behind. These children needed to start a new life whilst healing from trauma. We created the Bookmark Box for Ukraine to help Ukrainian child refugees turn the first page of their new chapter. It was their own precious treasure chest filled with items to make them feel welcomed and comfortable in their new surroundings, and to build their familiarity with the English Language.
6,500 Bookmark Boxes for Ukraine were delivered to children across the UK
Over £1 million raised in less than 6 months
we won an award!
We are proud to announce that we have won the Fundraising Campaign 2023 Award at the Third Sector Awards for our Bookmark Box for Ukraine appeal.
WHY was THE BOX SO IMPORTANT?
Research shows children who read and write in their spare time have better mental health than their peers (National Literacy Trust). The Bookmark Box for Ukraine was filled with the tools to support the children's wellbeing through storytelling and therapeutic play.
THE BOOKMARK BOX FOR UKRAINE was DESIGNED WITH THE HELP OF LITERACY EXPERTS TO PROVIDE:
Tools to adapt: Helping refugee children to see themselves in their surroundings is vital as it was an unsettling time. The Bookmark box for Ukraine included fun Ukrainian storybooks as well as books that reflect the challenging experiences they have faced.
Comfort and healing support: Sensory play and arts and crafts is recommended to support refugee children in early education. We included playdough, pipe cleaner games, finger puppets and stickers.
Language tools: To celebrate the children's home language as well as to build their familiarity with the English language as they settled into the UK.
Community: The Bookmark Box for Ukraine simultaneously welcomed the children to our community whilst providing them the mobile data and device to stay in touch with friends and family displaced around the globe.
Something of their own: The box itself was illustrated with a personalised Squibbles colouring sheet so that the children could make it their own. At a time when these children have left so much behind, this box will be their very own to keep forever.
“You should have seen the surprise in the children’s eyes when they saw the books in Ukrainian. Absolutely priceless, it made us so happy. There was no hesitation at all as they started flipping through the pages.”
— CEO at Association for Polish Family PYZA
WHAT was included in the box?*
Each family received one box containing the following:
A tablet loaded with e-books, language and literacy apps such as ChatterStars, Duolingo, Twinkl with Rhino Readers
Mobile data allowance on a SIM card to stay in touch with friends and family displaced around the world
Physical books in Ukrainian and English languages
A starting-school stationery set
Sensory games and story-telling aides such as play dough and finger puppets for therapeutic play
Sticker books
Activity booklets with colouring sheets, literacy worksheets and journaling worksheets
*Please note, actual box contents were varied.
Delivering the first boxes
In May 2022, the first 30 boxes were delivered to Ukrainian child refugees at the New Horizon Centre in Merton thanks to the support of The Association for Polish Family.
discover Yulia’s story
Yulia joined St Mary’s Ukrainian School in 2022 after arriving in London from Ukraine. We spoke to Headteacher, Inna Hryhorovych, about the impact the Bookmark Box for Ukraine had on Yulia.
Could you help children discover the joy of reading?