South Shropshire MP, Philip Dunne, is encouraging constituents to support local bookshops on World Book Day. 

World Book Day encourages a love of books and shared reading – aiming to see more children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, developing a life-long love of reading for pleasure to improve their life chances. Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success, more than family circumstances, parents’ educational background or income.

Before entering Parliament, Mr Dunne co-founded and served as Chairman of Ottakar's, a chain of bookshops eventually acquired by Waterstones. 

Mr Dunne said:

“As a former bookseller, I know that reading for pleasure can play an important role in supplementing education in the classroom - giving children key skills for life, but also opening up new worlds and knowledge that come from a really good read. 

“We have some excellent local bookshops in South Shropshire, so I encourage local residents of any age to take the opportunity of World Book Day to pop into your local shop and pick up whatever new read catches your eye.”