The charity, which began life in 2013, recruits volunteers of all ages to provide weekly reading support to primary school children, targeting disadvantaged pupils and those schools with the greatest need.
Currently around 10% of primary schools are registered with the charity and the service is free to schools. Prospective volunteers are interviewed and then matched with an appropriate school, with schools working in disadvantaged circumstances given priority.
The volunteers deliver free one-to-one reading sessions and receive guidance and training. The charity’s aim is to support children to attain a good level of reading before they transition to secondary school.
Its Race for Readingcampaign is running until June 19 and is asking individuals and teams to walk, run, cycle, swim a chosen distance. The aim is that fundraisers nationwide will be able to go “round the world” by covering 25,000 miles, following in the footsteps of fictional explorer Phileas Fogg.
- For more information on the charity’s work, visit www.schoolreaders.org and for more on the fundraising campaign, go to www.raceforreading.org