Helen Beesley

Read Easy UK

Read Easy UK is a national charity which provides free, confidential one-to-one reading coaching for adults from trained volunteers, through locally-run, affiliated volunteer groups. Our readers and volunteer reading coaches meet twice a week at approved local venues to work for just half an hour at a time through a structured, phonics-based reading programme, which takes up to two or more years to complete. The confidential one-to-one nature of our service is vital to encouraging people to come forward to ask for our help. Many adults are deeply embarrassed and ashamed by the fact that they are unable to read and, with bad memories of school, would fear a return to a classroom setting, where old feelings of failure could be reawakened. By working instead with one dedicated volunteer coach, a supportive and trusting bond develops between the pair, which helps motivate the reader to complete the course. Read Easy UK, which is based in Gloucestershire, is registered as a CIO with the Charity Commission. We are the umbrella body which supports volunteers to set up Read Easy groups in their communities.