Latest Laois News: Laois Happy Meals to come with free book tokens
Laois McDonald’s Happy Meal Fans to Receive Free Book Tokens from Tomorrow
- McDonald’s to offer book tokens on the new Happy Meal® box from Wednesday 17th March until Tuesday, 13th April.
- In 2020, McDonald’s gave 280,000 books to children all across Ireland as part of their Happy Meal Campaigns
- World Book Day book tokens can be used in participating bookstores across Ireland
March 16th: McDonald’s Ireland is offering World Book Day tokens with its new Happy Meal® box as part of its continued commitment to promoting children’s literacy. The €1.50 book token will be available in the new Happy Meal® box from March 17th until April 13th ,and will be eligible to spend in selected bookstores* nationwide.
As a strong advocate of literacy promotion, McDonald’s aims to help children around the country discover the pleasure of reading and provide them with the opportunity to develop a love of books. In 2020, nearly 280,000 books were given away to children all across Ireland as part of their Happy Meal Campaigns. Last year, McDonald’s also made the move to provide the option of children’s books with all its Happy Meals, allowing children the option to choose a book instead of a toy.
The most recent OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey in 2018 found that reading performance decreased in Ireland in comparison with the previous survey in 2015[i]. With some school children still home-schooling as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, keeping children engaged with reading and improving their literacy skills is vitally important.
Michelle Graham-Clare, VP of Marketing & Food at McDonald’s said
“We are proud to distribute thousands of books every year as part of our Happy Meal. As a mum of two, I know the importance of making sure children develop a love of reading, but also the struggle that can come with finding the time to read together at home. We also know that for many it is not just about time, but access to books and stories. Our aim in supporting children’s literacy is to support as many families as possible to share stories – in whatever way they can: whether that is at bedtime; or over Zoom with loved ones they might not have seen for a while.”
McDonald’s Ireland has also continued its support of Saint Vincent de Paul, donating 500 children’s books to St. Vincent de Paul as part of their World Book Day celebrations. This follows the donation of 2,000 books to the charity’s WordPower programme last year.
SVP National President Rose McGowan thanked McDonald’s for its continued support:
“This generous donation, in addition to 2,000 children’s books donated last July, is very welcome. Books help bring early learning and development benefits to children and can be beneficial when included with other supports we provide for families with young children”
World Book Day’s €1.50 books can be found in major supermarkets as well as bookshop chains and hundreds of independent booksellers. A full list is available here.