Because more resources are required for the production of audiobooks, the price of these sound-recorded publications tends to be significantly higher than that of an e-book or a printed version. For the visually impaired community, especially for kids, the high price becomes an obstacle that limits their access to a proper education and healthy development. According to research, bedtime stories play a key role in children’s growth, as they not only spark their creativity and help them improve their language skills but also contribute to strengthening emotional bonds.
With International Literacy Day in sight, the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) teamed up with INNOCEAN Berlin for the launch of Bedtime Donations, a free app developed to ensure visually impaired and blind children experience the magic of bedtime stories. The idea came to life based on the reality that the high costs of audiobooks often limit blind kids’ access to such joy, while parents everywhere tuck their children in by reading wonderful tales aloud to them. To unlock similar happy moments for every kid, the charity invites parents to donate their voices and contribute to building a free and accessible library for all.
To be part of the initiative, parents have to download the app, available on the App Store and Google Play, and choose between two available modes, Reader and Listener. The Reader mode allows parents to record themselves while reading aloud to their kids. Then, with the help of AI technology, the recordings are turned into high-quality audiobooks. Each recorded story then goes through a review process. Once the tale meets all the guidelines, it is published and becomes available to be enjoyed in the Listener mode.
Julie Davis, Chief Executive of RSBC, said: “Every child deserves to enjoy the magic of a bedtime story — but for blind and partially sighted children, the choice of accessible audiobooks is still far too limited, and they can also be expensive. The Bedtime Donations campaign is about changing that. By encouraging parents, volunteers, and well-known voices to share their bedtime stories, we’re building a library of free, accessible books that will help children feel included, inspired and connected to the magic of storytelling.”
Several well-known people have already lent their voices to the campaign, including stand-up comic and broadcaster Jon Richardson, English actor Ralf Little, TV presenter, medical broadcaster, author and public speaker Dr. Hilary Jones, and actor and writer Mathew Baynton.
Given the overwhelming response to the app, there are no more books in the app’s library waiting to be recorded. According to the charity, Bedtime Donations sparked massive interest from the public, reaching No. 1 in the book app charts within hours of the launch. Approximately 2K people downloaded the app in one day, with 700+ stories being donated.
This massive positive response demonstrates the public’s willingness to help and support visually impaired kids. However, a challenge remains: currently, the app relies on publications in the public domain, because these are freely available. To expand the library, the charity calls on authors and publishers of kids’ literature, asking them to kindly join the initiative and donate their stories so that every kid can enjoy the magic of wonderful tales.
CREDITS
Brand: Royal Society for Blind Children
Agency: INNOCEAN Berlin
