Read Easy helps change lives

Reading can be a pleasure – enjoying our magazines, for instance – but for adults who struggle with forms, labels and all kinds of print, life can be difficult.  

The volunteers at Read Easy Chilterns help adults across the region with free and confidential support in safe places such as libraries or cafés, and online.

Read Easy UK is a charitable incorporated organisation that works one-to-one with adults to improve their reading and, as one new reader found out for herself, it’s never too late to discover how life-changing it can be:

‘I could read a little bit, but I struggled with hard words and their meanings, and I really struggled to read to my children. I wanted to understand instructions better and understand emails from school and reply to them.

‘My reading coach is fabulous. Now, I can read and reply to official letters and school emails. I can read novels and menus, and I can text more accurately too.

‘I have started volunteering in a charity shop. I do the delivery paperwork and write down information when people ring up, and it doesn’t stress me out. I will try for paid work when something comes up,’ she said.

Around Tring alone, five new readers will soon complete the course and their coaches will be ready to support incoming new readers. 

If you would like to improve your reading skills, call 01494 926171 or email chilternscoordinator@readeasy.org.uk.

To volunteer as a coach, see readeasy.org.uk/groups/chilterns.