Residents in Bath and North East Somerset are being thanked for their fantastic response to the campaign to donate books to people in the community who might not otherwise have received a Christmas present.

More than 2,000 books have been donated to the Council Libraries’ Gift a Book campaign, and have now been distributed as gifts via eight charity partners.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: “It has been heartwarming to see such a huge response to our appeal for people to give us their unwanted books so that others in need will receive a gift.

“On behalf of our libraries, I’d like to thank the residents and charities who supported the Gift a Book campaign – you have all made a difference to someone’s Christmas.”

Julian House, Brightstart Children’s Centre, Genesis Trust, Bath Welcomes Refugees, Off the Record, PEOPLE, Keynsham Foodbank and Action for Children have helped to distribute the books, as well as some of the books being distributed by the Council’s Home Library Service.