FREE books and stories will be available to families at a pop-up story shop in Swindon today.

Brunel Shopping Centre is hosting the storytelling workshop in an empty unit and will be handing out 500 free books to children to help boost literacy.

The books have been donated by WH Smith and will be handed out by staff working with the National Literacy Trust’s initiative Swindon Stories.

Anish Harrison, manager of the National Literacy Trust Hub in Swindon, said: “If you’re looking for fun things to do with your children during half term, come along to our pop-up story shop. Families will have the chance to take home books for free and hear compelling storytelling, which we know can be a great way of helping children fall in love with reading.

“Sharing stories for just 10 minutes every day is enough to make a difference to a child’s literacy skills. The school holidays are a fantastic time to get into the habit of reading regularly and a chance to enjoy extra special story time.”

Children and parents will be encouraged to share stories together, as well hearing them from local performer Cassandra Wye.

A Swindon council spokesman said: “Swindon Stories offers the perfect opportunity to encourage children to read and to boost their literacy skills. We are thrilled to be working with the National Literacy Trust and WH Smith to achieve this.

“It is an exciting initiative for Swindon and it will help raise aspirations across the town. We would certainly encourage people to head to the Brunel Centre to take part.”

The books will be for children of all ages and can find the pop-up at unit 15 in the Brunel Shopping Centre arcade between 10.30am and 3.30pm.

Swindon Stories was launched by the National Literacy Trust and Swindon Borough Council in February to encourage more reading in the town and make writing and talking a priority to help children develop language and communication skills. Research by the Literacy Trust found nearly 1 in 10 children didn’t own their own book. It also found children who say they have a book at home are 15 times more likely to read above the reading level for their age group.