Chelsea and England defender Levi Colwill has launched an inspiring nationwide initiative to reignite children’s love of reading for pleasure,

 In a heartening show of commitment to education and youth development, Chelsea FC and England international Levi Colwill has partnered with acclaimed UK education platform StoryZoo to provide free, unrestricted access to thousands of engaging e-books, audiobooks, and literacy resources. The programme, which offers around 1,000 titles, aims to remove financial barriers that have contributed to a sharp decline in reading enjoyment among young children amid rising costs and educational challenges.

Launched on World Book Day, the initiative was marked by Colwill personally visiting St Mary’s School in Southampton—near where he grew up—to lead a school assembly, interact with pupils, and kick off a national reading challenge. The defender encouraged children across the country to rediscover the joy of reading purely for pleasure, not just for school requirements.

Speaking about the project, Colwill emphasized his desire to make reading accessible and fun again: “I want to remove any financial barriers and help make reading more enjoyable for kids. If I can change one life through this, that’s enough for me.”

The programme is expected to benefit millions of primary school pupils and support teachers by providing high-quality digital content that can be used both in the classroom and at home. By partnering with StoryZoo, Colwill is helping address broader concerns over declining reading habits in the UK, ensuring that every primary school—regardless of location or resources—can join the effort to foster lifelong readers.

This initiative highlights Colwill’s dedication to using his platform for positive impact beyond the football pitch. Schools interested in signing up can visit the StoryZoo website to access the free resources immediately.