Bookworms keen to spread their passion for the written word have just days to help youngsters get a gift they can enjoy again and again.

They have until Sunday December 18 to visit the Children’s Book Tree at Foyles Westfield Stratford City to buy a gift of a book for a local child who will be spending Christmas caring for a family member.

The Children’s Book Tree at Foyles Westfield Stratford City is working with Waltham Forest Young Carers to make Christmas better for local children.

The scheme is coordinated by staff at Foyles and volunteer Lizzie Poulton who said: “The Children’s Book Tree is different from other charity donation schemes as each child has had the opportunity to say what their interests are and what kind of books appeal to them.

“Customers can then choose a book for that child, knowing that it will not only be a present they’ll really appreciate, but that books and stories can inspire, reassure and provide escape for children in difficult personal circumstances. I’ve run the project in Norwich and Edinburgh in previous years and for one of the young carers in Edinburgh the book from the Book Tree was the only gift he received that year so it really can make a big difference to someone’s Christmas”.

The children who will receive the gifts have already put their Christmas wishes for a book on a gift tag hung on a Christmas tree in store. All customers need to do is choose a book they think that child will appreciate. The customer then pays for that book and leaves it with staff in store. It will then be wrapped, before being distributed to the right child for Christmas Day.

The tree was launched in-store on December 2 and has already proved to be a success.