Adult reading charity needs volunteer to expand

A charity helping adults learn to read says it needs a literacy specialist as it faces a struggle to expand its work.

Read Easy North and West Wiltshire said it wanted an expert to volunteer to help the charity's coaches improve peoples' reading and writing abilities.

The charity supports people from 18 years old to those in their 60s in Wiltshire towns including Chippenham and Devizes.

Dave, 64 and from Devizes, who left school with little ability to read or write said the service has "changed my life big time".

Read Easy North and West Wiltshire works with between 20 and 25 people at any one time and also provides one-to-one coaching.

Staff said they needed the expert to meet the demand for services as the charity prepared to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wiltshire, Dave said: "I've learned better things, and now I can work the internet. It's helped me in the last couple of years. I say to people: 'Go for it.'

"When I was younger, you used to have the mickey taken out of you. That knocks your confidence. As I got older, I just learn to ignore that.

"I go to the library and get books out now."

Heather Morris, the branch's local co-ordinator, said: "There's a whole variety of points in somebody's life where suddenly they decide: 'I need to do this.'

"Some of our coaches come from an educational background, a lot don't. They need this specialist support."

Paul Wiltshire, who volunteers for the charity, said: "We know there's huge demand out there.

"We need somebody who can help our coaches really give the best service possible to the people who need our help.

"In order for us to help as many people as possible, we need the back up of that specialist volunteer."

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