Helping Morecambe Bay Residents Change Their Lives Through Reading

When Read Easy Morecambe Bay launched over two years ago, they had no readers, just a small team of volunteer coaches and a belief that adults could improve their lives through learning to read.

Chris was one of their first readers. When he started, he struggled with single words. Traditional classes had left him behind. He wasn’t sure if learning to read was still possible for him, but with free, confidential, one-to-one coaching from a dedicated Read Easy coach he did more than learn to read; he gained independence, autonomy, and pride in what he has achieved.

Now, he can read with his family; handle forms at work, rather than taking them home for his partner to fill out; and he has done something he once thought was out of reach.

“The moment a reader realises that they’re understanding whole sentences instead of just guessing at words — that’s huge. That’s a moment when everything changes,” Colin Milburn, Chris’s reading coach, said.

One of coach Bernie Young’s readers recently became the first to complete the programme with Read Easy Morecambe Bay, and she’s noticed something striking about her readers:

“They might change what they wear or their appearance, and it seems their increasing confidence about their reading seeps into their general demeanour. It is so good to see.”

This transformation isn’t just about literacy; it’s about self-esteem, independence, and creating new opportunities.

Many adults in our area struggle with reading, but most never come forward. Read Easy would love to help these adults improve their reading skills and they also need more volunteers. As Rosalind Ritchie, who plays a critical role in matching coaches to readers as part of the support group, explains:

“Without the support group we couldn’t match readers with coaches, provide training, back-up support, and advice.”

From organising outreach and publicity, to helping with reader referrals and funding, those volunteer support roles are critical to ensuring that more adults can access free, life-changing support.

If coaching isn’t for you, a small commitment of time behind the scenes on the support team can have a huge impact.

If you know someone who struggles with reading, let them know that Read Easy offers free, confidential, one-to-one support.

If you’d like to get involved or just have an informal conversation, email [email protected] or visit https://readeasy.org.uk/groups/morecambebay/

Together, we can help more people unlock their potential, one word and one session at a time.