DUFFY BOOKS IN HOMES

We Are A Duffy School!


The Alan Duff Charitable Foundation, better known as Duffy Books in Homes is a literacy programme aimed at breaking the cycle of booklessness amongst children at low decile schools throughout New Zealand.

The programme was developed following a visit by Alan Duff to Camberley School in Hastings in 1992. He found that the majority of those children came from bookless homes and showed little, if any, interest in reading. From this grew the key concept of book ownership prompting an interest in reading and a love of books. This would also create the opportunity to share the books with other family members.

The programme was initiated in Camberley School in 1993. Christine Fernyhough set up an office sponsored by Mainfreight (this arrangement continues today) and in 1994 The Alan Duff Charitable Foundation Books in Homes programme began.

The Foundation is registered with the Charities Commission (registration number CC30965) and more information can be found at www.charities.govt.nz

Since the official launch event in 1995 with 80 schools, 16,000 students and 14 sponsors, the programme has grown to encompass over 520 schools and over 280 early childhood centres, more than 100,000 students and more than 200 funding partners, supporters and donors in 2018. By October 1999, more than one million books had been distributed. The two millionth book milestone was reached in June 2002. Now that figure has surpassed 12 million and the Duffy Books in Homes programme has inspired offshoot programmes in Australia and the USA.

ASSEMBLY September 2022

We had a great assembly with our Duffy Role Model, Judi Billcliff, a drama teacher, children's writer, workshop presenter and performance poet based in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Judi had our students of all ages totally engaged and there was lots of laughter.


Thank you to our sponsors Greenwood Roche Project Lawyers for their continued support of our school being part of Duffy Books in Homes.


DUFFY BOOKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY - 2019

2019, was Duffy's 25th Anniversary and we were lucky to be invited to Government House as part of the celebrations.

Our students sang the Duffy Song and performed a Kapa Haka item. Everyone was very impressed.

Then a few weeks later we were invited to Parliament for a further celebration and for a student to be given the

13 millionth Duffy Book. Kristina had the lucky ticket under her chair. Here she is with Minister of Education

Chris Hipkins, Duffy, and Alan Duff. We also got a photo of her with the PM Jacinda Ardern.