Did you catch Schoolreaders on BBC Breakfast last week?
We were so proud to be able to talk about our vital work on the Breakfast sofa. Our Founder Jane Whitbread met with 100 year old Peter Davies, who was recently the oldest person to be awarded a British Empire Medal in the King's New Year's Honours List for his dedication as a reading volunteer.
Peter Davies, 100 Year old Reading Volunteer
Peter served as a glider pilot during WWII, assisting with the planning of key war operations such as Operation Overlord and Market Garden. During the war, his plane was struck several times, but he was able to make it to safety.
He is not only a war hero, but also the hero of Dean Valley Community Primary School in Cheshire, where he has been serving as a dedicated reading volunteer for over six years.
Peter’s enthusiasm for his role as a reading volunteer has certainly inspired many others and, since the broadcast, we have been delighted to receive such a number of high quality applications from people keen to follow his lead and help children in their own communities.
Michael Rosen on BBC Breakfast
Jane also had the chance to chat with Michael Rosen, renowned children’s author and former Children’s Poet Laureate, about the importance of childhood literacy.
Author of ‘We’re going on a Bear Hunt’, Michael said; “People think of reading as simply reading, but there’s more to it than that. As we have seen from Peter Davies, it’s more like a community.
“In my mind there's a magic triangle. There is the book, the child and the adult who is sharing the book. There's a whizz round of emotions between the three, so you have a magic triangle. Reading doesn’t need to work to a certain level due to the child’s age. For example, picture books can be full of interesting and complex ideas, however they can be overlooked."
We very much hope this interview has been a platform to showcase the valuable work we do at Schoolreaders and explain why our charity is vital in helping more children leave primary school able to read well – especially the youngest and most disadvantaged children who have been set back following the Covid pandemic.