Charity sets up group to help the 10,000 adults in Northampton who cannot read

Read Easy Northampton is a part of a nationwide charity that aims to support adults learning to read by providing one-to-one tuition for free. This teaching is led by trained volunteer coaches and uses a phonics-based reading scheme to support the learning.

To help get the group off to the best start when it officially launches in May more volunteers are needed to sign up and become coaches, or members of the management team.

With over 10,000 adults in Northampton who cannot read, or struggle to read, Lynne Parker saw the need for a local group to be created. A launch event for Read Easy Northampton was held on Tuesday.

"I think if you think about the age range we are looking at, it's not just the people who have just left school" Lynne said. "A lot of them are older than that.

"When I was at school I had never heard of the word dyslexia. The teachers did not know that there were other ways of [teaching]."

Founded in 2010 by Ginny Williams-Ellis, the charity provides a flexible, free and supportive approach to learning. Each person is paired with their own reading coach who offers continued support as they learn to read.

The sessions allow for people to learn to read in private, and at their own pace, helping to build their confidence.

The establishment of Read Easy UK in 2011 allowed for volunteers to set up groups in areas across the country.

With the first training session for coaches starting in May of this year, Read Easy Northampton is inviting individuals, who are interested in volunteering, to take up becoming a reading coach.

If you would personally like to learn how to read, or know someone who does wish to, get in contact with Lynne at [email protected].