Every Child Deserves to Dream has launched with a mission to ensure every child has the opportunity to imagine, create and thrive. Founded on the belief that creativity is not a luxury but an essential part of childhood and rooted in its founder’s extensive background in the fancy dress industry, the initiative begins this week with a donation of 100,000 costumes – worth over £1 million – to children across the UK so they can experience the magic of dressing up for World Book Day on 6th March.
This donation is critical as the UK’s ongoing economic challenges are significantly impacting families’ ability to nurture their children’s creativity. A UNICEF UK report found that 71% of families say their budget is stretched to the limit, with 56% cutting back on playgroups and half reducing spend on books, toys and crafts.
Joel Weinshanker is founder of Every Child Deserves to Dream and CEO of Ad Populum – through which he has a portfolio of consumer brands, including the expansion of Rubies and Smiffys, two of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of costumes and dress-up.
“It’s difficult to imagine a parent having to choose between feeding their child and nurturing their imagination. Yet for many families, that is the reality”
Every Child Deserves to Dream has partnered with Rubies and Smiffys in the ‘All Dressed Up’ campaign, donating 100,000 costumes for World Book Day. Costumes will be distributed to eligible schools, in partnership with Parentkind, for the beloved literary celebration, allowing children from all backgrounds to fully participate in this nationwide event.
Joel Weinshanker said: “It’s difficult to imagine a parent having to choose between feeding their child and nurturing their imagination. Yet for many families, that is the reality. We believe no child should miss out on opportunities to dream, explore and express themselves. With the launch of Every Child Deserves to Dream, we are committed to helping more children build confidence, ignite their imagination and bring their favourite characters to life, starting this week with World Book Day.”
More than 4.2 million children are now living in near poverty – meaning 9 in every classroom of 30 face financial hardship. Pupils from lower-income backgrounds are, on average, 10.3 months behind their peers by the end of primary school – a gap that has remained unchanged since 2022. For many families, spending on creative materials and costumes is simply not an option.
The All Dressed Up Donation campaign has been created to support World Book Day on its mission to improve the lives of millions of children across the country. You can donate to the charity World Book Day here.
After World Book Day, the Every Child Deserves to Dream initiative will continue to create programmes and partnerships that provide children with access to creative tools and immersive play experiences. It’ll be working with schools, libraries, and organisations to ensure that every child, no matter their background, has the ability to explore their imagination.
https://donate.supportedgiving.com/world-book-day
