'I find reading easier now'

“I find reading easier now and I read more at home”

Freddie’s aunt, Stacy, first heard about Learn to Love to Read in summer 2023 when she brought her nephew, Freddie (8), to our weekly summer reading club. 

L2L2R’s summer reading club was launched in 2023 and runs in conjunction with St Michael’s Church in Southfields, with a stay and play session running each Wednesday morning in the summer holidays for children aged 0-11 and their carers. Reading, craft and play activities are based on a different theme each week, with staff and volunteers on hand to support and read with the children and their families. After a story and song at the end of the session, children are also encouraged to choose a lightly-used book each week which they can take home and keep. Ten families are then able to stay for a hot lunch as part of St Michael’s Church community lunch initiative (places are allocated on a first come first served basis).

The club had been recommended to Stacy by a teacher at Freddie’s school, one of L2L2R’s partner schools. Stacy and Freddie came along to the sessions throughout the summer holidays in 2023. They also visited the local library where Freddie completed the summer reading challenge for the first time. Freddie was so proud that he brought his medal along to the final session to show the staff and volunteers. 

Stacy and Freddie enjoyed their first year so much that they couldn’t wait to come back for every session in 2024. Stacy describes the club as: “Really good. Freddie’s reading more and it made us go to the library and read more as a family. I would definitely recommend it to other families.”

At the reading club in 2023, Freddie met L2L2R reading volunteer Claire and the pair hit it off immediately. Stacy comments: “Claire is really good with him. Freddie looks forward to seeing Claire every week; he loves her.” They teamed up again in 2024, with Freddie telling us that he particularly enjoyed colouring, drawing and sharing books with Claire and the other volunteers.

Claire and Freddie got on so well together that Claire changed the school she usually volunteered in during term time in autumn 2023 so she could support Freddie - and other children at his school - every week. Freddie says he finds the reading support he receives at school very helpful, saying: “Claire talks about the book and makes it fun. I find reading easier now and I read more at home.” Claire is looking forward to supporting Freddie in school in the 2024-25 academic year.