Growing up, my mother always taught us the importance of giving back where we can. Along with working, she would always spend a day a week at a local hospice, and she’s now volunteering in a local primary school. It’s therefore always been engrained in me that if we’re in a position where we’re safe, we have food and we’re happy; then we should pay it forward. When I found the opportunity to volunteer at the after-school reading programme with the Literacy Pirates charity, it really clicked for me. As a person who loves reading, I’m passionate about helping children discover the joy that comes when you get lost in a book.
While new research from the National Literacy Trust shows a modest upturn in children’s enjoyment of reading (from 32.7 per cent to 36.1 per cent) and daily reading habits (from 18.7 per cent to 20.3 per cent) after hitting a 20-year low in 2025, engagement levels remain significantly lower than a decade ago (when each was 58.6 and 32 per cent respectively). There are so many reasons for this; time, energy, distractions and social media to name but a few.
