Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Hagan Homes has pledged £225,000 to bring country singer Dolly Parton's Imagination Library scheme to Belfast and deliver 70,000 free books to 2,000 children here over the next three years.

The Imagination Library, which was set up by the star in the UK in 2007, sees thousands of children from birth to five years of age around the UK receive a free age-appropriate book in the post every month to support the development of early language and literacy skills, and inspire a lifelong love of reading.

The Dollywood Foundation provides the infrastructure enabling the programme, but it is made accessible to children in different locations through partnerships with what the charity calls 'local champions'.

In Belfast, Hagan Homes has taken on that role in what initially began as a pilot scheme, followed by a roll-out in partnership with nine Sure Start centres across all areas of Belfast.