Monday, September 22, 2008


Whitcoulls and Duffy Books in Homes join forces to give kids the gift of book ownership

Thousands of Kiwi kids will be given the gift of reading with the launch of a new partnership between Whitcoulls and Duffy Books in Homes during this week 22 to 28 September.

Kids in Duffy schools often have little or no access to reading material at home and benefit from a minimum of five brand new books to take home and keep each year. This is in addition to weekly book awards, a travelling theatre and numerous special awards throughout the year.

Since 2003, Whitcoulls has been a major sponsor of the Duffy Books in Homes programme and currently supports 34 of the 500 Duffy schools around New Zealand.

Now, this relationship is being taken a step further with the launch of the first ever Whitcoulls Duffy Book Week. Set to coincide with the last week of New Zealand Book Month, Whitcoulls branches throughout the country will be holding special in-store events featuring Duffy Books in Homes Role Models.

Whitcoulls Corner at 210 Queen Street will be hosting the official launch of Duffy Book Week on Monday, September 22 at midday. TV One newsreader Simon Dallow will be hosting a special Role Model assembly for Duffy kids from Room 4 at Panama Road School in Otahuhu.

Duffy Books in Homes and New Zealand Book Month are joining forces to host an awards ceremony for the winners of the NZ Book Month Lunchpack competition at Auckland’s Civic Theatre on Wednesday September 24 at 11.00a.m. As well as the competition winners, Auckland’s Beach Haven School will be receiving their Duffy books at the event. Duffy Role Models will be in attendance to present their books:

Naomi Bradfield and Henry Tuipea – TV Presenters and Co MCs
Suzy Cato – TV Presenter
Brecon Carter – Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra
Linda Vagana – Former Silver Fern netballer
J. Williams - Singer
Prestige – New Zealand champion hip hop dance crew
Representatives from the New Zealand Warriors

The public will be given the chance to donate to the Duffy Books in Homes programme in-store at Whitcoulls at checkout time, online at http://www.helpduffy.co.nz/ or by text messaging ‘DUFFY’ to 2774 to make an automatic $3 donation.

Since the official launch in 1995 with 80 schools and 16,000 students, the programme has grown to encompass 500 schools and close to 100,000 students in 2008. 2008 also saw the delivery of the five millionth Duffy book and the Duffy Books in Homes programme has inspired offshoot programmes in the Pacific Islands, Australia and the USA.

For further information please contact:

Phil Horrobin
Duffy Books in Homes
0800 383 392
PHorrobin@booksinhomes.org.nz

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