MORE people are being urged to become volunteer readers to help support children across Wirral.

Volunteers will be recruited, trained and placed by national charity Coram Beanstalk in a bid to support children aged from three to 13 through weekly reading sessions over one academic year.

New statistics published last week show that 31% of primary school leavers in Wirral didn’t achieve the expected levels in reading in 2018/19.

Managing director of Coram Beanstalk, Ginny Lunn said: “Coram Beanstalk volunteers help encourage, motivate and support children in a way that helps them feel positive about their reading and sets them up for success.

"Our reading helpers work with children who, for a variety of reasons, don’t feel confident around books and would benefit from weekly sessions outside of the classroom with someone who can help ‘open the door’ to reading.

"Our vision is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to become confident and able readers and we know that the first step to achieving this is through encouraging a love of books at an early age.

"We will be continuing to recruit and place volunteers across Wirral over the next academic year, so if you feel you could help inspire children to discover a lifelong love of books, please do get in touch with us to find out how you can get involved.”

Coram Beanstalk works with schools across the borough to deliver a range of evidence-based programmes that have been developed to ensure children who most need help get that encouragement and support in the best way possible.

Across England last year Coram Beanstalk supported 13,400 children nationwide through the help of 3,700 reading helpers and through a range of programmes.

For more information to apply as a volunteer in a school or early years setting visit www.corambeanstalk.org.uk or call Coram Beanstalk on 020 7729 4087.