A charity currently providing more than 40,000 children with one-on-one weekly reading sessions is expanding its reach thanks to support from Bournemouth Water.
Bournemouth Water’s Better Futures Fund is supporting Schoolreaders’ widespread mission to recruit, place, and support phonic-trained volunteers in primary schools across the country, focusing on areas of high deprivation. Currently 1 in 4 schools across the country are signed up to Schoolreaders and the Better Futures Fund is helping harbour this increasing demand.
Schoolreaders are already having a hugely positive impact on 235 children across 50% of schools in Bournemouth by offering them weekly reading sessions. Their support reaches beyond the pages of a book, with volunteers acting as positive role models as well as providing a distraction-free zone for children to indulge in reading and improve their literacy skills.
Dorset ranks in the bottom 20% for pupils leaving Year 6 with the expected literacy levels, and deprivation effects over 50% of households in Bournemouth. Considering the proven links between poverty and low literacy, Schoolreaders uses a targeted model to ensure that areas which need extra support receive it, at no cost to schools. With help from the Better Futures Fund, Schoolreaders can remain uniquely accessible by removing these financial barriers to reading and writing.
A schoolchild who has received support from Schoolreaders said: “I wish I could say thank you more, but you have changed Year 6 for me.”
A Schoolreaders volunteer said: “It is such rewarding work, it not only benefits them but me too. I can’t thank Schoolreaders enough for giving me the opportunity to do something so worthwhile.”
After spending time with a Schoolreaders volunteer, 94% of children become more confident in reading. The massive impact its volunteers make in schools is vital to preventing the wider literacy issue, with 1 in 6 adults in England currently classed as functionally illiterate.
There is a waitlist of 460 children seeking support from a Schoolreaders volunteer. These numbers grow weekly as more schools are registered, and the Better Futures Fund is being used to recruit more volunteers to provide as many schools with volunteers as possible.
Schoolreaders’ latest research shows that 83% of schools have noted an improvement in children’s reading fluency since receiving regular volunteer visits and their impact, participating schools, and volunteers continue to grow.
Izzy Perks, Communications Manager for Schoolreaders, said: "We are delighted to be working with Bournemouth Water to supply even more children with weekly one-to-one reading support. With help from the Better Futures Fund, we will work to improve children's literacy and life chances."
Dani Twelvetree, Director of Customer Communications and Engagement at Bournemouth Water, said: “2026 is the National Year of Reading so it feels very fitting to be supporting Schoolreaders through our Better Futures Fund. Schoolreaders helps thousands of children across the country to become more confident readers and at Bournemouth Water we believe that the value of their work is monumental.”
For more information about the Better Futures Fund and how to apply for support, visit Better Futures Fund | Our community | Bournemouth Water