More than 400 Harrogate children join nationwide reading challenge for BBC Children in Need

More than 400 children from Busy Bees nurseries across Harrogate are taking part in a nationwide challenge this November to celebrate reading while raising money for BBC Children in Need.

The youngsters are joining children at more than 350 Busy Bees nurseries across the United Kingdom in the ambitious Read and Rave campaign, which aims to create more than one million reading moments in just 30 days.

Combining books with music and movement, the initiative transforms traditional story time into an interactive experience designed to spark children's imaginations and encourage a lifelong love of reading.

As well as promoting literacy, the month-long campaign is raising funds for BBC Children in Need, giving children, families and nursery teams the opportunity to support young people across the UK through a series of fun fundraising activities.

The challenge forms part of Busy Bees' wider Get the Reading Buzz pledge, launched earlier this year, which aims to read more than 45 million books with children nationwide.

The initiative comes at a time when research shows children's enjoyment of reading has fallen to its lowest level in two decades, prompting Busy Bees to encourage families to rediscover the joy of sharing stories together.

Chris McCandless, European CEO at Busy Bees, said: "We are incredibly proud to support BBC Children in Need through our Read and Rave pledge.

“Every child deserves to discover the joy of stories and through our Bee Curious curriculum, we bring that magic to life every day, sparking imaginations, building confidence and nurturing a love of reading.

"We're turning that joy up a notch, with books and music at the heart of a celebration across our nurseries and bringing children and families together to support BBC Children in Need."

Busy Bees has raised more than £200,000 for BBC Children in Need since its partnership with the charity began in 2024.

This year's Read and Rave campaign aims to build on that total and raise even more to support children and young people facing challenges across the UK.

Tess Herbert, Chief Campaigns and Engagement Officer at BBC Children in Need, said: "We're delighted that Busy Bees is bringing together the power of reading, music and play to support BBC Children in Need through this exciting Read and Rave challenge.

"Every child deserves the chance to thrive, and the funds raised through initiatives like this help make that possible.

“Thanks to the incredible efforts of partners such as Busy Bees, BBC Children in Need is able to support local charities and projects across the UK that provide children and young people with the help they need, when they need it most."

To make a donation, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/busybeesxcin