As the school holidays come to an end, the Times is appealing for more donations for its Books For Schools campaign.

The campaign was launched in October last year to help schools struggling to provide new equipment and resources for pupils due to funding cuts.

More: Support our new campaign to provide more books to schools.

Donations have flooded in from generous readers and community groups and we have donated 700 books to schools so far.

Vicky Angear, who launched the campaign, said: “We have been overwhelmed at the support we’ve received for the Books For Schools campaign.

“Reading is a vital life skill and we are delighted to be able to help schools offer more reading materials to pupils to enable them to develop a life-long love of reading.

“Evidence shows pupils who read regularly do better at school and have access to more career opportunities and it also helps children to develop empathy, social skills and broaden their imaginations.

“Please keep sending in your donations so we can help more pupils in North Somerset.”

We are appealing for donations of gift vouchers and books so we can continue the appeal.

Schools keen to win a selection of books can email vicky.angear@archant.co.uk with details about reading initiatives run in their school.

Children’s book publisher Usborne is supporting the campaign by giving schools the chance to win free books when they hold a sponsored read.

More: School receives scores of new books thanks to sponsored read.

For every £100 raised, Usborne will donate an extra 10 per cent in free books, for £250 or more the publisher will donate an extra 30 per cent, and if a school raises more than £600 Usborne has agreed to hand over 60 per cent – £360 worth of books.

To find out about holding a sponsored read, email Vicky Angear.

Donations can be dropped off at Clevedon Community Bookshop, in Copse Road, Portishead Town Council in Folk Hall, High Street, or the Times office in Waterloo Street, Weston.