Charity calls for volunteers to change a child’s life through the power of reading

Schoolreaders provides over 30,000 weekly classroom reading sessions in England, connecting volunteers with primary schools.

Research by Schoolreaders reveals that 94% of children increased reading confidence following volunteer reading sessions and 72% benefited from spending time with a positive role model.

The charity, which sets children up to enjoy a lifetime of learning, is seeking more volunteers across the region. Using sophisticated software Schoolreaders will match new volunteers to partner schools with the most disadvantaged children to help address gaps in attainment in South Yorkshire and Sheffield.

One volunteer who found the Schoolreaders experience deeply enriching is Chris Dowd, a 70-year-old retired nurse and senior university lecturer from the University of Sheffield.

He dedicated six years of his retirement to helping children in his local community improve their reading skills.

Chris discovered Schoolreaders through a friend and, driven by his lifelong passion for teaching and reading, joined the programme.

He volunteered at a primary school just a mile from his home, dedicating an hour per day, four days a week, to working with between five and eight pupils each session.

But if you can spare just an hour a week then you too can join Schoolreaders, says the national charity which is marking its 10th anniversary.

For Chris, being a Schoolreaders volunteer meant feeling like a part of the school family.

Chris said: "I’ve always been treated with care and respect by teachers, pupils, and parents alike. I’ve accompanied pupils on trips and even served as a SATs invigilator.

"I saw many changes in children—more confidence, more chattiness, and an emerging sense of humour as they got to know me better.”

Like many volunteers, Chris humbly downplays his impact.

The feedback from teachers and pupils tells a different story, however – one of a man who fired up pupils' love of books, thereby improving their life chances and future opportunities.

Through his time with Schoolreaders, Chris found joy in seeing pupils progress to the point where they no longer needed his help, even though it was bittersweet.

"It was sad but positive," he reflects. "I enjoyed the welcome I received every time I popped my head around the classroom door, hearing the pupils exclaim, 'Miss, Chris is here!'"

Chris’s story is a shining example of how volunteering can enrich both the volunteer and the community.

Schoolreaders is calling on others to follow in Chris’s footsteps. If you can spare just an hour a week, you can help children develop a lifelong love of reading.

Volunteers are provided with guidance and training, including safeguarding and reading support best practice.

To learn more about volunteering with Schoolreaders, visit www.Schoolreaders.org/volunteer