The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) were saddened to hear of the passing of Dolly Parton, the legendary American singer, songwriter, businesswoman and philanthropist.
The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) were saddened to hear of the passing of Dolly Parton, the legendary American singer, songwriter, businesswoman and philanthropist. While she was admired around the world for her extraordinary career in entertainment, her commitment to improving children’s literacy has left a lasting legacy that has touched the lives of millions of young people, including children here in Belfast.
In 1995 Dolly established the Imagination Library as a tribute to her father who could not read or write. The Imagination Library had a clear vision, to inspire a lifelong love of reading for children. Reflecting on the incredible growth, Dolly said:
“Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission. In the beginning, my hope was simply to inspire the children in my home county but here we are today with a worldwide program that gives a book a month to well over 3 million children.”
While Dolly Parton’s contribution to children’s literacy has benefited millions of families globally, its impact can also be seen close to home at Cliftonville Integrated Primary School.
Her vision reached Belfast in 2015 when the Imagination Library was introduced at Cliftonville IPS. Since then, more than 400 children have benefited from the programme, receiving free books that inspire curiosity, imagination and a love of reading from an early age. For the past decade, nursery and P1 children have received the gift of a book every month until they reach the age of five through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The programme not only nurtures a love of reading among young children, but also encourages parents and carers to share stories with their children at home. By promoting family reading, it helps strengthen relationships and supports children’s emotional, social and educational development. The benefits are far-reaching, helping to build self-esteem, expand vocabulary, stimulate imagination, improve concentration and encourage positive social interaction.
The programme continues to enrich the lives of children and families within the school community, fostering a love of books while supporting the development of language, communication and literacy skills that are so important during the early years. Parents regularly speak of the excitement that each new book brings, while staff see first-hand the confidence, curiosity and enthusiasm for reading that the programme helps to nurture in their youngest learners.
As the programme continues at Cliftonville Integrated Primary School, more children and families will have the opportunity to experience the joy of sharing stories together and developing a lifelong love of reading from the very beginning of their educational journey.
Bill Fletcher, Principal of Cliftonville IPS, said:
“The Dolly Parton Imagination Library has made a lasting difference to the children and families of Cliftonville Integrated Primary School. For more than a decade, it has helped nurture a love of reading by providing children with access to high-quality books in their own homes from an early age. We have seen first-hand how regular book sharing supports language development, literacy skills and a lifelong enjoyment of reading. The excitement children feel when a new book arrives through their letterbox is truly special, and the programme’s impact will continue to be felt by generations of families within our school community.”
Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the IEF, commented:
“The IEF were delighted when the Imagination Library came to Belfast all those years ago. The impact the books has had on the school, the children and their families is immeasurable.
We must thank our donors for partnering with us and the school over the years to cover the minimal administration cost and helping this significant programme continue. But mostly, we want to thank Dolly herself, a legend in all senses of the word, for leaving such a positive and long-lasting legacy of working tirelessly to improve literacy amongst young people all across the world.”
