Charity seeks publicity officer to promote adult literacy

Especially when it's not on paper, but on a computer screen, and I have to fight the temptation to just scroll and skim, at the risk of missing some nugget of vital info buried in paragraph number 94(b)! But I can't begin to imagine what life would be like without the ability to read. A staggering three million adults in this country are in that position, I was reminded this week. There are potentially hundreds in our area who have just given up on the possibility, although help is nearby and it doesn't cost a penny. So what kicked off this train of thought? I was contacted by the charity Read Easy South & East Wiltshire, who are on the lookout for a publicity officer. I had to say no, because I just don't have the time, but I did say I'd spread the word here and see if we could encourage someone with local knowledge, writing skills, an ability to catch people's attention and a passion for promoting adult literacy to come forward. Local schools tell Read Easy that there are many young parents who could benefit from the charity's one-to-one confidential coaching. Yet a lack of confidence or of someone they trust who can encourage them will hold them back from seeking help to improve their skills. 'Our hardest job is finding people,' one of the charity's volunteers told me. 'At the moment, many people are more worried about feeding their families and keeping their homes together, so that literacy drops down their priority list. And it takes courage to come forward.' Learners attend two half-hour sessions a week, over an average of two years. These are held mainly in libraries, offices, even sometimes in care homes. Coaching is geared to the individual – and, crucially, free. 'It's a big commitment for them,' my contact admitted. 'But it's life-changing. People who learn with us are finding jobs for the first time, or going travelling. The key is catching people when they are ready to do that. One chap we had recently was 83! 'We set up our group in 2022, we are just about to start our 29th reader/coach pairing, in Wilton, and we have patient, friendly coaches waiting to help any new adults who would like to improve their reading.' If you would like to offer help, or know someone who would benefit from it, please contact Jocelyn on 07942 382318. Annie Riddle