Recognition for reading and community project special for Rotorua teen Finley English

Finley English presenting the funds raised to Rotorua Salvation Army Community Ministries team leader Tania Hore. Photo / Supplied

Reading and the community are two big passions for a Rotorua teenager, and so receiving acknowledgment of his work bringing both together was a special moment for him.

Rotorua's Finley English, 14, received a special mention in the 2021 Aotearoa Book Trade Industry Awards for his Read for a Feed project.

The project was formed and run by him last year when he was a Year 8 student at Kaharoa School.

Working alongside McLeods Booksellers, the project chose a number of paperbacks and published them to a pamphlet.

Books could then be chosen from the pamphlet and ordered online or by paper order form - similar to the Scholastic book orders - with profits to be donated to a food bank of Finley's choice.

He says it was a programme he came up with last year because all of the Year 8 students leaving Kaharoa School for high school wanted to leave something behind, so they were encouraged to do a legacy programme.

Finley wanted to do something unique and based on something he loved, which is reading.

"I wanted to share that passion and help out the community around me."

From there, he partnered with McLeods Booksellers to put together this charity project. He hoped to raise enough money to help some people out in the Rotorua community who were going hungry after the Covid-19 lockdown.

"After lockdown a lot of people were struggling after losing jobs."

Through the project they sold more than $600 worth of books, and with the help of a number of generous donations, were able to put together a total profit of $200 to donate to the Salvation Army.

McLeods Booksellers sent an application in for him and his project to the awards' Innovation prize, and Finley says it felt great to receive the special mention.

He says he is currently working with McLeods on a new project to help get people reading, and in the future he may look to do Read for a Feed again. He thanks McLeods for all the help they have given him.

"I enjoy reading because it's a healthy way to escape the world around you and go to a brand new place, and you can improve your vocabulary skills at the same time."

Rafael Moreira of McLeods Booksellers also received the Emerging NZ Bookseller of the Year award.

The Book Trade Industry Awards have been recognising the best New Zealand publishers, booksellers and industry stalwarts for more than 20 years.

They are a chance for the book trade to celebrate the best and brightest, successes and innovations, and to acknowledge the excellent work being done in the New Zealand book trade.