CHILDREN in care homes across Blackburn and Darwen are benefitting from the fundraising efforts of an Accrington-based company.

Sagar Insurances is raising money for the National Literacy Association, a charity working with Blackburn with Darwen Council to improve the literacy of children in care.

They will donate a proportion of any commission earned to provide books to make sure children can do many of the day-to-day tasks others take for granted

The children will then have the confidence to fill in an application form, take down instructions or simply read for pleasure.

John Meadows, director of Sagar Insurances, said he was happy to help local children. Recently his company hosted a charity open day for all major insurance firms.

Charlie Griffiths, of NLA, said: "There is a myth that television and computers means that children do not want to read anymore.

"This is simply not true. They love reading. When we ran a library in Darwen, we had to fight the children off!"

Marianne Russell, from Blackburn with Darwen Council, said that the children in the area had benefitted greatly from the work of the charity.

She said they had given hundreds of books to care homes and organised events from reading roadshows to an award ceremony hosted by the mayor.

The council had also started a work-shadowing programme to give children the experience of going to work.