A CHARITY is searching for volunteers to help children with their reading.

Berkshire reading charity ABC to Read is searching for volunteers in Bracknell, Wokingham, Reading and Crowthorne.

The charity explained with so much disruption to and uncertainty surrounding schooling during the coronavirus pandemic, the focus, confidence, and skills built through reading have suffered for many children.

Now, it hopes to pioneer a recovery, moving their one-to-one mentoring online to support the primary school children who have been identified by their schools as struggling most with their reading.

Pre-Covid, ABC to Read provided trained volunteer mentors to work with children one-to-one.

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ABC to Read often work with children experiencing additional barriers to reading and/or disadvantages such as those from EAL or low-income families or with additional educational needs.

In the current climate, the charity now provides virtual reading sessions both for schools and for families at home, supporting more than 120 children.

Volunteer mentors are still being recruited, so there is scope for much more, with parents in all schools in which ABC to Read work invited to connect and receive additional reading support.

All sessions are one-to-one, customised and tailored to each child’s levels and interests.

ABC to Read are continuing online support while preparing to reintroduce volunteers to schools as they reopen.

Marcia Rowlinson, ABC to Read CEO, said: “We are thrilled to be able to support so many children with our online reading sessions, continuing our commitment to schools and the children we support, thanks to our great team of volunteers and small but excellent staff team.

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“We know that one-to-one, face-to-face teaching is the best method to support children, particularly if they have barriers to their learning, but are delighted to be able to reach more local children online even as we prepare to return to our provision of face-to-face mentoring when schools reopen.”

There are still spaces available for any new volunteers to take part in training and for schools to sign up to the scheme.

For more information about training days or joining the scheme as a school or volunteer mentor, contact: abctoread@btconnect.com