Charity Focus
Read-Easy Preston is a charity that focuses its support for adults who struggle to read
Imagine for a moment that you are unable to read. You can’t fully enjoy this issue of Preston & Fylde magazine, follow a recipe or fill in a form. Deciphering emails from your child’s school is a struggle, and how on earth do you help with homework and hold down a job? Thankfully, for most of us this isn’t an issue, but you might be surprised at just how many adults in our region struggle to read.
Read Easy Preston is a local registered charity (affiliated to Read Easy UK) that provides free, one-to-one training for adults who cannot read but want to learn. It’s run by a team of local volunteers who, after setting up the charity in 2021, are now teaching more than 20 adults to read, and they even have a waiting list!
What sets it apart from other adult education programmes is that learner readers are paired with a dedicated, DBS-checked reading coach, and they meet in local venues, such as libraries, where they can work safely and quietly together.
“Many adults with literacy difficulties have bad memories of classroom-based learning,” says team leader Amanda Carpenter. “Having access to confidential coaching outside of a classroom environment, with no exams or pressure, can have a really positive impact on an adult’s learning experience.”
Anyone over the age of 18 can learn with Read Easy Preston – some people might struggle with dyslexia while others simply didn’t find the support they needed at school. The charity trains local volunteers as reading coaches, and they guide their learner readers through a reading programme designed for adults.
“It’s a joy to see our readers making such fantastic progress,” says Amanda. “Some have nearly completed the programme and will soon be able to apply for jobs or adult education courses. Others are delighted that they can now read to their children and grandchildren.”
Read Easy Preston is volunteer-run and needs new members to join its friendly team. There are a variety of positions available from reading coaches to admin roles so, whatever your background, if you have a few hours to spare then volunteering with the group is an exciting opportunity to help others and make a difference. As Amanda added, “It really is wonderful to see the effect that learning to read can have on adults who thought they had missed their chance.”
As a charity, Read Easy Preston relies on donations and, although lucky to have been supported from the beginning by generous local businesses and community groups, the need for funding is constant.
If you can help, please contact the fundraising officer, Catherine, at: prestonfundraiser@readeasy.org.uk
If you would like to find out more about volunteering, please contact Maureen at: prestonrecruitern@readeasy.org.uk
If you want to highlight a charity, please contact: alma.stewart@live-magazines.co.uk
