'Overwhelming' response to Leigh's Book Cycle in Spinning Gate

With charity book shops dotted all over the country, Book Cycle launched their latest premises in the Spinning Gate shopping centre in September.

Seeking to empower children with the opportunity to read, Book Cycle runs as a donation-based charity where people pick up to three items per day and choose what they want to pay.

The bookshop has a huge children's section (Image: Leigh Journal)

Despite only opening for around six weeks, the community has dropped off hundreds of books while others have left generous donations; with the store now boasting a wide collection of fiction and non-fiction, children and adult books, as well as DVD's, CD's, and vinyl records.

With 40 "lovely" volunteers joining the Leigh team, founder Anthony Melling wants to continue this community-driven ethos that has seen the charity ship around 50,000 books and build around 1400 libraries worldwide.

The Book Cycle also has a collection of DVD's, CD's and vinyl records available (Image: Leigh Journal)

Anthony, who is originally from Billinge, said: "The ethos of the Book Cycle is to encourage reading and literacy here in Leigh and worldwide.

"Both in Leigh and around the world, the key marker of progress and life chances is education; so it's our passion to give people the opportunity to learn and develop.

"That's why it's been amazing to see such an overwhelming response from the people of Leigh, as they have really donated generously here in store.

"With the cost of living crisis, these donations mean that families can afford literature regardless of their means and can pay for books and presents in time for Christmas."

The Book Cycle have shipped thousands of books across the world and planted thousands of trees (Image: Leigh Journal)

In addition to their focus on education, the Book Cycle also has a passion for sustainability, and volunteers have planted thousands of trees since the charity's inception in Exeter 15 years ago.

With the Leigh launch the latest expansion for the charity, the local Book Cycle will offer reading and writing groups, knitting clubs, and book signings to keep people coming in store and supporting the global project.

The Book Cycle, located in Spinning Gate shopping centre (Image: Leigh Journal)