Merseyside social enterprise shares big plans for the year ahead

At a time when many families are feeling the squeeze as the cost of living rises sharply, the founders of Merseyside social enterprise, Split Perspectivz, are on a mission to make a difference to the lives of local children. 

Having delivered 16,000 free boxes filled with books, stationery and papercrafts to Merseyside children last year, Split Perspectivz is now rolling out the delivery of their free Builder Book boxes to Wirral schools. They’re also organising storytelling sessions with Afghan refugees and will be stepping aboard the Liverpool Writes Writer’s Bus to drop off more of their literacy boosting boxes around Liverpool. 

Natalie Reeves Billing, the founder of Split Perspectivz, said: “One of the exciting things about social enterprises is how fluid they can be. Because we’re small, decisions can be made quite quickly, and we don’t have to wait very long to see the impact of our projects in the local community. 

“We’ve had such great feedback from the families that have received our Builder Book boxes and we’ll be working on developing new boxes supporting children’s mental health to coincide with Bernie Hollywood OBE’s Boat of Hope solo row in support of young people facing mental health challenges. It’s all about continual improvement. Every time we create a new box, we aim to do things a little differently and a little better. 

“It’s been lovely to hear from children who have been inspired to write their own books or comics after receiving one of our boxes. We can see that the boxes have gone some way towards promoting mental health and creativity.” 

As well as working with local councils, Split Perspectivz are also collaborating with local universities including John Moores University, Liverpool University, and Liverpool Hope University. 

Artistic director, Jonathan Tottey said “When creating our Builder Book boxes, we’re not just supporting local artists, producers and service providers, but also Liverpool charities, through buying their products to populate our boxes. We’re an organisation that exists through supporting others.” 

Part of Split Perspectivz’s mission is to promote reading, writing and creativity, making a difference to the lives of local youngsters, and for this, they’ve won the backing of local councils, educational establishments, charities and businesses. This year, as many Merseyside families face additional financial pressures due to rising bills, the free resources that the social enterprise’s team provide are likely to be even more welcome as many families’ budgets are cut. 

Co-director, Jude Lennon said: “Books open up a world of imagination, and our Builder Book boxes encourage families to play, interact and communicate. We look forward to developing our product range further.”