David Gandy talks about his campaign to get children reading
David Gandy is one of the world’s most famous male supermodels – if not the most famous. As the face of Dolce&Gabbana, his image has graced billboards in New York, Tokyo and London, while his Paris and Milan catwalk appearances have become the stuff of legend.
Now the father of one is using his fame to shine a light on the nation’s children as he fronts 200 Million Minutes – an annual campaign aimed at encouraging children across the globe to read a little each day.
Youngsters record their results on the website and the goal is to hit 200 million minutes between World Book Day (March 4) and Children’s Book Day (March 31).
The campaign has been launched by Achievement for All – a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping children and young people to ‘achieve and aspire regardless of background, challenge or need’ – of which David is a fervent ambassador.
“I believe passionately that we have a responsibility to open the gates of opportunity for vulnerable children,” says the 40-year-old. “And encouraging young people to read or their parents to read to them is the first step.
“I now have a two-year-old daughter, Matilda, and I see reading to her as a privilege – it is time we share together. It engages her imagination and is a lovely way to end the day. Although, I must admit I am a little tired of Zog,” he adds with a laugh.
Founded in 2011, Achievement for All was developed by social campaigner Professor Sonia Blandford in an attempt to ‘close the unacceptable gaps at every level of the education system’.
The team, which includes a network of leading educationalists, aims to empower not only the young people themselves but also their teachers, parents and carers as well.
So far more than 3.86 million UK youngsters – including those from a range of schools across South West London and Surrey, have received help in some form including mentoring, practical provision, equipment or mental health support.
David came on board in 2015 and has worked tirelessly to champion its cause. He has visited several schools – including his own primary school in Billericay, Essex – to deliver much-needed equipment, take part in reading sessions and even help with some painting and decorating.
David confesses to being a lifelong bookworm, citing Danny Champion of the World as one of his particular childhood favourites. “My dad would always read to me, which he did every night until I got into cricket and then that took over our evenings and we would be out in the garden till all hours. “But I have always loved books – I liked nothing more than having a big bundle of books and deliberating about which one to read first.”
While David went on to study for a degree in multimedia computing and marketing, he admits his time at secondary school was not the happiest. “I was bullied at school and so the library became my sanctuary,” he says. “But now I realise that many people play up in class or behave badly towards others because they themselves are struggling. Rather than ask for help, they prefer to disrupt everyone else. ”
The inability to ask or get the right help is just one of the problems that David and his AfA colleagues are concerned about in the light of Covid-19 and the extended periods away from traditional school settings.
“One in five children lives in poverty in this country, which is just extraordinary,” he says.
“How are they supposed to engage with online learning? ”In his role as AfA ambassador and in partnership with Vodafone, David has recently taken part in a Cookalong.tv session. Vodafone customers can enter a prize draw to win the chance to cook ‘live’ alongside a celebrity.
The event is made available later via YouTube. His partnership with the mobile giant has already seen laptops distributed to vulnerable children throughout the UK. “One of the schools sent me a video of the pupils receiving them and some actually broke down they were so grateful. As a father, or in fact as a human being, that is hard to watch. ”
While David is keen for everyone to get online and continue their learning journey, he believes the best way to broaden the mind is to settle down with a good book. “We are asking kids to spend just 10 minutes a day reading,” he explains. “It can make such a difference.
In that time children can become hooked on a story. They can take a screen break and have some quiet time that can take their minds anywhere. Parents can chat and find out why their child likes that particular book. It’s good to share time with your children and reading to them is a gift.”
Sounds like it’s time for a few more pages of Zog.
