Aldi is giving away over 100,000 books to children across the UK for free this summer to help get more kids into reading.
Did you know that one in 17 children in the UK doesn’t own a single book? And more than one in four 11-year-olds had below-expected reading levels in 2019? On top of that, some new research commissioned by budget supermarket retailer Aldi has revealed that 90% of charity professionals believe that children’s reading abilities have unfortunately declined since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic too.
So, in a bid to help more children benefit from everything that reading has to offer, Aldi has announced it will donate more than 100,000 books to children across the UK ahead of the school summer holidays.
The campaign has been backed by Manchester United and England star, Marcus Rashford MBE.
Alongside the launch of the campaign, Aldi has also asked the Wythenshawe-born footballer and best-selling children’s author to narrate an animation called ‘My Reading Journey’ – which the retailer says brings to life “how much joy reading can bring to a child”.
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“I didn’t read properly until I was 17, and I don’t want that for others like me,” Marcus said.
“The escapism and joy you can get from reading could have benefitted me significantly as a child, but the issue was always access and representation.
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“Struggling to put food on the table, there was very little money left for things like books, so it’s great to see Aldi step up to address a growing need for access to books in communities just like mine [as] it’s important that children can see a world much bigger than what they see on their doorstep and that can be achieved through books.”
The books will be produced by Macmillan Children’s Books, and distributed with support from the charity Magic Breakfast – which provides nutritious breakfasts to children and young people at schools in disadvantaged areas for free – with additional copies also being donated by national giving platform, Neighbourly.
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Aldi is giving away over 100,000 books to children across the UK for free this summer / Credit: Annie Spratt (via Unsplash)
“At Aldi we believe that access to books, just like quality food, should be a right, not a privilege and every child deserves to experience the magic of reading,” added Giles Hurley – CEO at Aldi UK and Ireland.
“Not only are we donating over 100,000 books to children that need them, this campaign also aims to help raise awareness of the increasing number of children who don’t have access to their own books at home so those that are in the fortunate position to do so, have the chance to help too.”
Aldi is also encouraging the public to donate to help them provide books to a children.
Making a donation of just £5 means that two books will be gifted to those in need, and you can find out more and donate on the Aldi website here.
Featured Image – Aldi
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Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
1st July 2022 
