READ International | Self Storage Blog

Big Yellow Is Working Together With READ International

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

We’ve been working with READ International, a network of students who volunteer at 45 universities across Britain. We’ve been able to provide storage for thousands of books, getting them ready for shipping to Tanzania and Uganda.

The latest shipment was loaded up on 9th May from Norwich and other Big Yellow stores with a staggering 296,965 books which volunteers had been collecting over the past year. These books are now on the way for educational use in deprived schools in East Africa.

To find out how you can get active with READ International or donate books to the project please visit their Facebook group.

Tags: armadillo self storage, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, byss, Charity, READ International, self storage, self storage blog, Self Storage UK, UK storage
Posted in News | 1626No Comments »2011-06-07+09%3A35%3A21Big+Yellow+Blogger

READ International Uganda Update (Part 2)

Monday, September 13th, 2010

Throughout the six weeks in Uganda the student volunteers from the University of Edinburgh were faced with many challenges in the library and by the end they had managed to create a fantastic space. The opening ceremony of the library really brought it home to the volunteers what they had achieved. Children had the opportunity to explore the new books that had been donated to READ and kept secure in Big Yellow Self Storage’s rooms across the UK.

The day was full of special moments as children of all ages surrounded the team throughout eager to be read to. Children from local primary schools performed during the event standing up reading in front of the others showing their delight at the new facilities.

Members of the town council and representatives from the National Library of Uganda set out their ambitions for the future of the library and filled READ and the team with hope. The renovation wasn’t the end but a beginning where members of the local community could meet, study and read for pleasure.

To find out how you can get active with READ International or donate books to the project please visit their Facebook group.

Tags: armadillo self storage, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, book storage, byss, personal storage, READ International, self storage, self storage blog, storage solution
Posted in Charities, News | 1085No Comments »2010-09-13+10%3A48%3A30Big+Yellow+Blogger

READ International Uganda Update (Part 1)

Monday, September 6th, 2010

On the 22nd August READ International completed its latest mission in Uganda with the help of student volunteers from the University of Edinburgh. They were able to successfully distribute over 29,000 textbooks to primary and secondary schools in the Mubende and Masaka districts. At the same time they were also able to aid in the renovation of the Mubende Community Library.

When the team from Edinburgh arrived at the library it was a dark and gloomy building with a small number of books gathering dust in a storage cupboard. It was a large space so the team had to really get stuck in if they were to make a difference. The team showed the same enthusiasm that they demonstrated throughout the previous year when the team were collecting textbooks and raising money.

For the first time the town had a library that everyone could use which created a real buzz in the area. Youth engagement is a really important part of READ’s work so it was great for them to see groups of students from nearby secondary schools leading a hand helping the team and making the project a lot easier and more fun!

Stay tuned for news from the Mubende Community Library opening ceremony in part 2…

Tags: armadillo self storage, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, book storage, byss, personal storage, READ International, self storage, self storage blog, storage, storage solution
Posted in Charities, News | 1068No Comments »2010-09-06+11%3A36%3A45Big+Yellow+Blogger

Exciting News From READ International

Friday, August 13th, 2010

It’s a very exciting time for READ International as donations have arrived safely in East Africa! Their summer team has recently received 280,000 books that are destined for Tanzanian schools and that will be transported across 14 regions of Tanzania this month. These are much needed donations that give kids the opportunity to learn from books that their schools could never usually afford.

We’re also very happy to hear that READ International are receiving hundreds of queries a week from people who wish to donate books to schools in East Africa. Big Yellow is delighted to be able to donate space across the country where READ International can store books before they are ready for shipping. The new donations will remain in the UK until their new teams of eager volunteers start university in September.

In the coming weeks ahead they will be distributing books to Tanzanian and Ugandan teachers and students. We’ll be looking forward to hearing even more great achievements!

To find out how you can get active with READ International or donate books to the project please visit their Facebook group.