With a Master’s Degree and a business background in consumer marketing, American-born Tracy has spent the last 15 years in the voluntary sector, principally in her local area, Suffolk. In 2003 she started ‘Young Art East Anglia’, an art exhibition for primary school children, which raises funds for Cancer Research UK. Tracy is enthusiastic about being a Schoolreaders Ambassador, saying 'improving literacy gives children a better start and helps them in life - good for them and good for society'.

Rosie worked in PR and advertising in England, France and South Africa. She lives near Sherborne in the beautiful county of Dorset and has two teenage children in secondary school. She was governor of a local primary school for four years and worked as a reading volunteer with children in Key Stages 1 & 2, witnessing first-hand the importance of listening to children read on a one-to-one basis.  Rosie is now studying at the Open University for a degree in English Literature proving that it is never too late to learn.

After studying English at Royal Holloway as a mature student, Lizzie formed FASBAT, a Musical Theatre company for children and adults.  A move to the Isle of Wight saw her become involved in several island-based projects, among them Singing for Wellbeing sessions which she ran for the Independent Arts charity. In 2020 Lizzie moved to Wiltshire and she now runs Open Voices at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, and is engaged in various projects in her local community. Lizzie says 'reading has always been a passion, and I know from my experience of working with schools, that it is a fundamental building block which should be afforded to all children'.  

Victoria has a degree in History and French and worked in retail and investment management.  She has lived in Hertfordshire for 25 years and is married with 2 children at university.  She helped as a reading volunteer at her children's primary schools, and raised funds for charities at their secondary schools. She supports the Hertfordshire NSPCC, and has helped organise fund raising events for the Bedfordshire NSPCC.  She enjoys tennis, yoga and reading.

Bumble has been involved in numerous charitable and fundraising projects in Suffolk, many of them focused around the junior school attended by her three children.  She says, ‘I am delighted to be involved with Schoolreaders because I am passionate about reading and love the idea of local children benefitting from our volunteers and the Schoolreaders service’.

Emma grew up in Ireland and has been living in the UK for over 25 years. With a background in marketing, she ran events in the charity sector before working in the advertising industry for 12 years.  She joined forces with her husband to run their landscape business in 2007 and the family now lives in Somerset.  Emma has a teenage daughter and is closely involved in running village and community events.

Overseas postings to South Africa and Australia before a return to the UK meant that Laura’s three children grew up experiencing a number of very different educational systems.  It was obvious to Laura that whatever the system used in local schools, the one-to-one time spent with a patient adult was tremendously helpful in building their confidence and improving their reading.  Laura’s family has now settled in Oxfordshire, where they have built their own house, and Laura is a Schoolreader in her local school.

Mandy has lived in Cornwall for over 30 years, 25 of which were spent working as a vet before diversifying into teaching English to adult foreign language students and some part-time ceramic work. She was a primary school governor for 8 years when her now adult children were pupils and was invited back onto the board 3 years ago, so maintains an active involvement with the school. She is also trying to make time to do more travelling as well as a variety of watersports, walking, snowboarding, tennis and is struggling with being an adult beginner cellist.

Nicky has lived in Leicestershire for 20 years.  As well as having taught yoga for the last 15 years, Nicky is active in a number of voluntary roles, acting as secretary of the church council, and fundraiser for VIP Companionship for older people.  Nicky has three children, four dogs and lots of chickens.  She grew up in Kenya, and has spent time living in Madrid.  Nicky believes strongly in the power of the Schoolreaders approach, ‘It's a clever idea to match volunteers with the young -  and I know that reading is fundamental to my life’.

Penny is passionate about reading and never had her nose out of a book when she was a child! Her life was changed for ever when she got a place at Cambridge University from her Direct Grant School to read English Literature and from there she went on to qualify as a Commercial Property Solicitor in London, becoming a partner at a major City Law Firm. After a short career break during the teenage years of her two daughters, she spent nearly 12 years as Development Director raising funds for Newnham College (her old College). Much of her work there was to help disadvantaged students from less privileged backgrounds thrive at Cambridge. Currently, she is a part time executive business coach and fundraising consultant. Penny and her husband, who is a fanatical kite surfer, live in Old Hunstanton with their jack russell and springer spaniel. 

Emma became a Schoolreaders supporter and listener on retirement after working in academic publishing, the music business, retail marketing, catering & events. She wanted to do something useful as well as her favourite pastimes - travelling, reading, tennis, cycling, yoga, singing, gardening, cooking. She thinks the Schoolreaders model is a brilliant one as it has far reaching benefits for all concerned. She has lived in the Cambridgeshire area with her husband for 30 years and has two adult children.

After Durham University, Judy worked in the city as an analyst for various stockbrokers. She has lived in north Bedfordshire for thirty years and was the county representative for the NGS. She has been involved in various local activities including being a Parish Councillor for over twenty years and is a Schoolreader at her local school. She is married with three adult children

Following a career in the City, Jo moved to Hampshire where she runs her own small bespoke stationery business.  She has been a Governor of an infant school, and has helped as a reading assistant and with other activities at her local school.   Jo is married and has two grown-up children.  She shares her home with her dogs, chickens, and some rescue donkeys.

​

Alison read English at Manchester University before doing a Law conversion course. She practiced as a Criminal Barrister in London until, in her early 30s, family life intervened. For over 20 years she has been involved with numerous charities [including First Story, a charity providing opportunities for under-served young people to participate in creative writing activities]. At present she is an Assessor for The Hardman Trust, a charity which supports prisoners who are planning for their future beyond prison. She believes in the fundamental importance of improving literacy skills in primary schools to aid children's personal wellbeing and advancement, which cannot be overstated.  

Susie has a degree in psychology and worked in London as a market researcher before starting a family. She lived in Chicago for 5 years before moving to north Buckinghamshire 20 years ago and there she worked as a Headmaster’s PA for 12 years which she found fascinating. Her love for children led her to volunteer with a bereaved children’s charity in Milton Keynes and she enjoys tennis, walking, painting, gardening and travel.