Bake a Difference: The Draper Family

Ali with sons Sam, 10, and Robin, 6 (Front).

Ali lives in Bedford with her husband, two young sons aged 10 and 6, and their black cats, Indy and Ember. Reading plays a big role in their household. They recently held a driveway bake sale to help raise funds for Schoolreaders.

“Reading has always been an escape for me, and my family are the same, we all love books! Since my boys started school, I’ve realised how fortunate we are that reading hasn’t been a struggle. I've spoken to friends whose children are finding it a challenge, and it's heartbreaking. The worries they have about their children's education and futures are huge. It made me stop taking literacy for granted and realise just how vital it is for everyone.”

Ali first heard about Schoolreaders in 2017 through her work in the local charity sector. This year, she joined the Schoolreaders team, which brought the importance of literacy into even sharper focus for her family.

Each year, Ali’s family chooses a charity to support through a fundraising event.

“Usually the boys pick an animal charity! But this year, after lots of conversations about how some children find reading really difficult, they chose Schoolreaders.”

With previous success holding local fundraisers, the family decided to take part in our Bake a Difference campaign by hosting a driveway bake sale.

“It was simple to organise and something we could all get involved in. We planned it for a Friday afternoon to catch families on the school run. We designed flyers to deliver locally and shared details in school WhatsApp groups.”

The bakes had a children’s books theme, and included a special chocolate fudge cake which was raffled off on the day. Cupcakes and traybakes kept costs low and preparation straightforward. Despite the hot weather, the family’s gazebo and homemade posters caught plenty of attention and helped attract a stream of eager customers.

Ali's two sons helped with the baking and sales!

Ali’s eldest son ran the raffle, while the youngest helped serve customers and count change. In just two hours, they raised an impressive £150!

“It really felt like a family effort. We were so grateful to our neighbours and friends who stopped by to support us and Schoolreaders. It was also a brilliant way to help my children understand how others might experience school differently, and how we can help.”

Ali’s bake sale shows just how easy and rewarding it can be to take part in Bake a Difference. Whether you hold a bake sale in your driveway, host a tea party with friends, or bring colleagues together for cake and coffee, every event helps us reach more children with vital one-to-one reading support.

Feeling inspired? You can help to 'Bake a Difference' to children's literacy, whether you can raise £40 or £400, every penny helps to improve children's life chances.

Sign up for your free Fundraising Pack here.