Parton fails with British reading plan

SHEFFIELD, England, July 5 (UPI) -- U.S. singer and actress Dolly Parton has failed to raise the necessary money to promote a childhood reading plan in Britain, officials say.

Tony Mannion, an official in Rotherham, said the 61-year-old singer's appearance in the British steel town made more of an impression on residents than her fundraising efforts, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

"It seems that the visit of Dolly Parton was more important than the scheme itself," Mannion said

Parton's Imagination Library scheme, which has met with success in the United States, involves providing books for children to promote reading.

A total of 4,000 students in Britain agreed to take part in the literary program, but Parton was only able to raise little more than $2,300. The cost of the program was estimated at nearly $240,000 a year.

A Rotherham borough council leader had encouraged the "Nine to Five" actress to promote the scheme in his town after meeting her in Nashville two years ago, the Telegraph said.