AUGUST 2026

TRIBUTE TO DOLLY PARTON

All associated with Canterbury Imagine are devastated to hear about the passing of the fantastic Dolly Parton.

What a wonderful woman.

She set up and still helps to fund the Imagination Library scheme giving free books to under-5s. Her dad couldn’t read or write and Dolly realised how important literacy was for a person’s long-term future.

Canterbury Imagine started funding books for under-5s in the Canterbury area of Bradford in 2012, soon expanding to the Manningham area too. Inspired by Dolly, we believe literacy is a way out of poverty and we’ve funded more than 124,000 free books for under-5s in those areas over the years.

Dolly’s legacy will continue in Bradford and elsewhere.

We met her when she played at Leeds Arena some years ago and she was warm, wise, funny, generous and a supremely talented star.

Shine bright as ever, Dolly 

We're a small book-gifting and literacy charity for under-5s in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Children in the Manningham and Canterbury estate/BD5/BD7 areas receive a free, age-appropriate book through the post every month from birth until their 5th birthday. They build up their own 'library' of quality books at home.

Click here to see which books will be arriving throughout 2026!

 REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR FREE BOOKS BY CLICKING ON THE POSTCODE CHECKER HERE

Any queries? Email canterburyimagine@btinternet.com

Here are some of our lovely families enjoying books together: