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LEADERSHIP TEAM OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM OUR PATRONS GYLES BRANDRETH, BROADCASTER AND AUTHOR In 2023, Gyles became the first official patron for Schoolreaders, a charity providing primary schools with dedicated volunteers to support children’s reading on a one-to-one basis. With one in four children currently leaving primary school unable to read to the expected standard, this provision is vital for many children, particularly the most disadvantaged. Schoolreaders volunteers support more than 19,000 children each week. Reading is the gateway to learning which then opens up life chances, something which Gyles understands deeply, making him the ideal Patron. KATE ADIE, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR Kate Adie, British journalist, author and war correspondent, became a patron of Schoolreaders in 2024, emphasizing her commitment to literacy. Kate has a strong desire to see that all children receive a good education, as can be seen through her involvement on various education and school boards. Renowned for her frontline reporting, Kate's support amplifies Schoolreader's mission to improve children's literacy skills through one-to-one reading support with a Schoolreaders volunteer and showcases her dedication to education and providing children with brighter futures. OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM JANE WHITBREAD, Founder and Trustee Jane started Schoolreaders in 2013 and has been delighted by the way it has been welcomed in the educational field. Jane’s early career was in marketing and product development with Unilever, United Biscuits, Johnson& Johnson. She subsequently set up an NGO in South Africa in 2001 in the health and welfare field and a related trust in the UK. Jane was President of the British Red Cross in Bedfordshire for 7 years. She lives in Bedfordshire, has four children and enjoys natural history, travel and sunshine. JO HAWKINS, Financial Consultant Jo has worked as a Chartered Accountant for over 20 years, working in the City of London for many years and now in private practice in Bedfordshire. As a mother to three young children Jo is particularly passionate about literacy and education. She serves as parent governor in her children’s school and is active in local governance and education. She loves travel, music and the arts and spending time with her family. LUCY COPEMAN, Communications Director and Trustee Lucy is a mother of two and runs a cut flower farm in Bedfordshire. For ten years before that she was a Director of Public Relations in a City agency. She is an active fundraiser and organiser for charities, and serves on the Bedfordshire county committees of the NSPCC and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Her interests include music and choral singing. ANNABEL COX , Head of Operations Annabel manages the team who deal with our reading volunteers and schools on a day-to-day basis. Her background is in customer service, training delivery and logistics. Originally from Yorkshire, Annabel now lives in Hertfordshire and has two children at primary school and is also the chair of their PTA. Annabel is Schoolreaders' designated Safeguarding Lead. ALEXANDRA SPURGEON, Head of Fundraising Alex manages the fundraising team, who ensure Schoolreaders maintains great relationships with its supporters, and that it can continue to raise enough money to help the children who need it. Alex’s early career was in marketing within the corporate sector, before she made the decision to utilise those skills within the charity sector where she could work for the causes she felt most passionate about. She is a mother to two young children and loves spending time outdoors walking her dog. VICTORIA HARRIS, Business Support Manager Victoria manages the Business Support Team and has worked in the charity sector for over twenty years. Having grown up in Bedfordshire, she has moved nationally and internationally but now finds herself back home. Victoria lives in Bedford and has three sons, so literacy and education is very important to her. She enjoys running, travel, the arts and can be found most weekends on the rugby try line as she's a very proud Rugby mum. TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS OUR TRUSTEES AND SPECIAL ADVISERS JANE WHITBREAD Founder and Trustee See Jane's biography in 'Our Leadership Team' LUCY COPEMAN and Trustee Communications Director See Lucy's biography in 'Our Leadership Team' NICK FROY, Trustee Nick is currently a Director of Education for Unity Schools Partnership which is a medium sized Multi Academy Trust based in East Anglia which has a range of primary, secondary and special schools. Previously he was a Headteacher of Newmarket Academy which under his leadership championed the importance of reading in supporting children to fulfil their potential and achieve great outcomes. He is also a Trustee of two smaller charities; one which support mental health in children and the other which provides horse-riding opportunities for disadvantaged children. He is married with four children, lives in Cambridgeshire and is a keen cyclist. STEVEN BRYAN, Trustee Steven is a partner at the international law firm Paul Hastings LLP specialising in Corporate Law. He is a trustee of Room For Work, a charity focused on employability skills and networking for mature professionals, and is Church Warden of the parish church of St John's Hampton Wick in Hampton, Middlesex. He lives in Surrey, has three adult children and enjoys tennis, sailing, cycling, skiing, travel and art. SHANNAN STEVENSON, Vice-Chair of Trustees Shannan is a Senior Advisor at the international management consultancy firm McKinsey. Previously he was President & Company Officer at Procter & Gamble (P&G), leading organisations on the ground in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Throughout his business career, Shannan has had a keen interest in furthering the provision of core education skills amongst young people. Whilst living in China, he led P&G’s work with the China Youth Development Foundation in the provision of “Project Hope” schools for disadvantaged children. Shannan is married with four adult children and lives in Norfolk and London. HARRIETT MATHER, Special Advisor Harriett is a Managing Partner of a thriving criminal defence solicitors in Milton Keynes. She is also a Trustee of the Bedford-based community charity, the Harpur Trust. Harriet has extensive experience of safeguarding and has special responsibility for this area in her role as a Governor at Bedford Girls' School. She is also Safeguarding lead at Stony Stratford Cricket Club. RORY LANDMAN, Trustee Rory was Senior Bursar at Trinity College Cambridge until 2021. He was a Trustee of the College for over 14 years. Rory has a degree in Law from Cambridge University and qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG. He is an experienced investor in public markets, private equity and property. Among other positions, Rory has been a member of the Cambridge University Finance Committee and is a Trustee of a number of educational charities. Rory has four sons and enjoys open-air activities and music. ALICE GARNETT, Fundraising Consultant and Trustee Alice has worked in the voluntary sector for almost 30 years. She began fundraising at the RNID (now Action on Hearing Loss) before becoming Assistant Director of Fundraising at Sense where she was responsible for Corporate, Trusts, Events and Major Donor Fundraising. In 2001 she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Voluntary Sector Management at Cass Business School then worked as a freelance consultant for 16 years, advising charities on their fundraising strategy as well as mentoring and coaching their Directors, particularly in issues related to fundraising. Past clients include Breast Cancer Haven, Thomley Activity Centre and St James School Durban. Married with three daughters, Alice is a keen flautist and a Founder Member of the King John Orchestra in Cambridge. ED SCOTT, I T Systems and Fundraising Consultant Working closely with the Management Committee, Ed has worked with the charity since 2014, helping us expand the scheme from very small beginnings to its present scale, and championing the use of new technologies to streamline our operations. With a background in IT consultancy and operations management, Edward has special expertise in developing systems and programmes aimed at improving partner engagement. Edward's earlier experience included designing a unique training programme which encouraged digital creativity in schools, in order to improve children’s literacy and pupil engagement. In his spare time, Edward is a keen runner and he recently completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon on behalf of Schoolreaders. HELEN LONG, Education and Safeguarding Advisory Group Having worked in education for almost 30 years Helen is currently a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) in a primary school in Central Bedfordshire. She is also an advisory teacher for pupils who have Down's Syndrome, a role which enables her to work across a number of counties and to work with pupils of all ages. Helen is very involved in the Bedfordshire Down’s Syndrome Support Group and was Chair of the charity for approximately 10 years. GILLY RIACH, Education and Safeguarding Advisory Group Gilly is a Headteacher of fifteen years standing and has led four Bedfordshire schools, some of them in challenging circumstances. All have made rapid improvements. Gilly describes her primary aim as a Headteacher as the enhancement of learning for all. She particularly enjoys working in Church Schools, developing a spiritual ethos and embedding Christian values at the heart of each school. Gilly has taught at all stages of primary school, and has also taught Hearing Impaired and Language Provision children. She has spent time working as an Education Consultant, coaching and mentoring staff in schools, and leading Primary National Strategies at a local level.

How to get involved Your link with Schoolreaders can take a number of forms and, with input from both sides, can develop into a long-term relationship which brings many advantages to your company while also significantly benefiting us. Our team will work with you to ensure that we come up with a fundraising or donation plan that is supportive of your overall strategy, strengthens your brand and is scalable. Please telephone us today on 01234 924333 to talk about how you and your staff can get involved. CORPORATE DONATIONS Financial donations Schoolreaders provided more than 250,000 individual reading support lessons in the 2018/2019 academic year. The scale of the scheme and the fact that our sessions are completely free to schools (meaning that every child can benefit, whatever the financial situation of their school) has been made possible by the generosity of companies like yours. If you would like to donate to Schoolreaders, please contact us on 01234 924333, or go to our donate page. ​ Gifts in kind You could choose to donate products or services to help Schoolreaders deliver its programmes or carry out vital fundraising campaigns. At the same time you will be showcasing your brand products and core values to a different audience. Click here to see some of the companies who have supported us. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Staff fundraising Blah blah blah blah blah. ​ Volunteering and pro-bono work Blah blah blah blah blah. ​ Payroll giving Blah blah blah blah blah. ​ ​ CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT Getting your customers involved in your fundraising efforts can be a very positive way of demonstrating your commitment to the wellbeing of your community, whether you operate locally or nationally. The Schoolreaders team can work with you to set up a campaign which resonates with your clients, builds connections between your staff and customers, stimulates long-term customer loyalty and is easy to implement. It may be something as simple as a 'rounding up' button added to your online checkout page, or a local fundraising event - these efforts, whatever their scale, will provide valuable support for us and will say a lot about your organisation's standards and values. ​ ​ ​ MAKE A DONATION Click here OUR COMPANY SUPPORTERS Read More WE'D LOVE TO TALK TO YOU Please call us on 01234 924333

Click on one of the buttons below for the appropriate book review template. ​ For a Key Stage 1 template... ... click here for a printable PDF For a Key Stage 2 template... ... click here for a printable PDF WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE COMPETITION - HAPPY SUMMERTIME READING! ... click here for an editable Word version ... click here for an editable Word version

Thank you to those who make our work possible We are very grateful to our many trust and foundation supporters, both those named below and those who wish to remain anonymous. These include: Suffolk Community Foundation J Reginald Corah Foundation Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation "The JR Corah Foundation Fund are extremely pleased to be able to support Schoolreaders in delivering this valuable service to school children in disadvantaged schools. All the trustees consider it a vital initiative as the ability to read is essential not only to get on in life but also to gain enormous pleasure on a personal front" - Peter Corah, For and on behalf of J Reginald Corah Foundation Fund Fowler Smith and Jones Trust “We were happy to offer grants because your message is so strong and powerful….a win-win scenario for the children in the short term, society in the long-term by having better literacy in the community, and also for the volunteers being able to put something back. Having been a magistrate for 25 years, I am only too aware of the problems of poor literacy, leading to low employability, low esteem and isolation. Schoolreaders is helping to address this in a very cost-effective way.” - Grants Administrator, Fowler Smith and Jones Trust The Lady Hind Trust "It is only now that I can look back at my own school days with disappointment, disenchantment, frustration and indeed unhappiness, and realise what went wrong. I was bright up to the age of 10, when reading did not affect my results, but after this age I just went steadily backwards to leave school at 16 with just a handful of O Levels. A few years ago, at the age of 62, I had to take a ‘Professional Examination’ and was actually tested for dyslexia - "yes, you are very dyslexic, somewhat dyspraxic, but a high IQ". Throughout life I have had to suffer these disabilities with no assistance, and I now realise that it was only my IQ that got me through. If only Schoolreaders had discovered me at a much earlier date - then I am sure my school career would have been so much happier. Thank you Schoolreaders for what you do today - I only wish you had been there 67 years ago!” - Charlie Barratt DL, Trustee, The Lady Hind Trust "Basic reading skills are all too easily overlooked in our increasingly digitised age. Schoolreaders provides an invaluable service helping to remedy the reading deficit at crucial stages in our children’s education. We felt it was important to support Schoolreaders by providing a multi-year grant to cover core expenses, to give them the security to build a strong foundation. We then renewed the multi-year grant to assist them to build out their services across the country.” - Multi-Year Foundation Supporters

Thanks for being part of our fourth annual quiz! Thank you to everyone who took part in our latest quiz, and particularly to those who generously made a donation to fund Schoolreaders' work. ​ We'll be in touch with our winners soon, but if you would like to see the quiz answers, please scroll down! ​ And, if you haven't already, please consider donating now. ​ Donate 2021 QUIZ ANSWERS 1. How big was the diamond in F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 novella? A. As big as the Algonquin B. As big as the Ritz C. As big as the Plaza D. As big as the Biltmore As big as the Ritz ​ 2. Who started up The Reading Room, a hub for literary communities, in 2020? A. J K Rowling B. Stephen Fry C. The Duchess of Cornwall D. Margaret Atwood The Duchess of Cornwall ​ 3. Whose novels include ‘The Associate’ (2009) and ‘The Litigators’ (2011)? A. John Grisham B. Harlan Coben C. Jeffrey Archer D. Ruth Ware John Grisham ​ 4. Which line from Tennyson’s poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’ did Agatha Christie use for the title of a 1962 detective novel? A. Fields of barley B. Four gray walls C. Shadows of the world D. The mirror crack’d from side to side The mirror crack’d from side to side ​ 5. Which 1987 Haruki Murakami novel shares its title with a Beatles song? A. Paperback writer B. Blackbird C. Norwegian Wood D. A Day in the Life Norwegian Wood 6. Which God is Percy's father in Percy Jackson and the Olympians? A. Zeus B. Poseidon C. Hades D. Hermes Poseidon ​ 7. Which club features prominently in ‘Fever Pitch’, Nick Hornby’s autobiographical first novel which centres on his obsessive love for football? A. Arsenal B. Liverpool C. Queens Park Rangers D. Manchester City Arsenal LITERARY LOVERS 8. In which Jane Austen novel do Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram fall in love? ‘Mansfield Park’ (1814) ​ 9. In which 1956 novel do Pongo and Perdita raise an extended family? ‘101 Dalmations’ by Dodie Smith ​ 10. Which classic character says this? ‘Once for all; I knew to my sorrow, often and often, if not always, that I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be’. Pip, in ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens ​ 11. Connell and Marianne, fellow students at a secondary school in County Sligo, Ireland, are the main protagonists in which 2018 novel by Sally Rooney? Normal People ​ 12. One of Shakespeare’s heroines is described thus; ‘Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety’. Who is she, and who falls in love with her when he sees her drift past in her gilded barge? Cleopatra and Antony BOOKS INTO FILMS 13. Bestselling novels ‘Jaws’ by Peter Benchley and ‘Jurassic Park’ by Michael Crichton were written 25 years apart, but have what in common? Both became films directed by Steven Spielberg ​ 14. Which novel, subsequently made into a film, features the stricken ship the SS Cabinet Minister, which runs aground on a Hebridean island? ‘Whisky Galore’ (1947) by Compton Mackenzie ​ 15. Written by a member of the Indian diplomatic service, what was the name of the book on which the 2008 film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ was based? ‘Q & A’ (2005) by Vikas Swarup ​ 16. Dev Patel starred in the titular role in a recent major film adaptation of which classic novel? Directed by Armando Iannucci, the film was filling cinemas just as the first Covid lockdown was announced. ‘David Copperfield’ or, to give it its full name: ‘The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account)’ (1849) by Charles Dickens ​ 17. Which 1862 book by Victor Hugo, the story of an escaped convict, Jean Valjean, was turned into a 6-part BBC TV series starring Dominic West in 2018? Les Misérables ​ 18. Issac Asimov wrote a series of science fiction short stories that were assimilated into one novel, and later adapted into a film featuring Will Smith. What is the name shared by the novel and film? I, Robot PLACES 19. Who has put Matterdale on the map? James Rebanks with ‘The Shepherd’s Life’ (2015) and ‘English Pastoral’ (2020) ​ 20. Big Brother is dictator of which country in George Orwell’s 1948 novel ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’? Oceania ​ 21. In which country are Jo Nesbo’s books set? Norway ​ 22. Where did Hunter S Thompson experience Fear and Loathing in two cult 70s books? Las Vegas ​ 23. William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey were the main figures of which group of poets, named after the area in which they lived? The Lake Poets ​ 24. Who imagined a world in which Germany had won the Second World War in his 1992 novel ‘Fatherland’? Robert Harris ​ 25. Which country is Alan Paton referring to in the title of his 1948 novel, ‘Cry, the Beloved Country’? South Africa BACK TO SCHOOL 26. Which author wrote about the fictional boarding school of Malory Towers? Enid Blyton ​ 27. In Charles Dickens’ ‘Nicholas Nickleby’, what is the name of the poor schoolboy? Smike ​ 28. In a play by Christopher Marlowe, which scholar at the University of Wittenberg pledges his body and soul to the Devil in return for 24 years of being able to do whatever he likes? Dr Faustus in ‘The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus’ (1604) ​ 29. Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches features in which children’s classic? ‘The Worst Witch’ (1974) by Jill Murphy ​ 30. Holden Caulfield runs away from Pencey Preparatory School in which American coming-of-age novel? ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J D Salinger, first published as a novel in 1951 ANIMALIA 31. The Hindi words for three animals, hathi, bagheera, and bhalu, were used by which author when naming some of his best-known characters? Rudyard Kipling used the Hindi animal names in the ‘Jungle Book’ (1894) ​ 32. What is the title of E B White’s novel about a pig called Wilbur and his arachnid friend? ‘Charlotte’s Web’ (1952) ​ 33. Which bird eerily utters the word ‘nevermore’ in an 1845 poem by Edgar Allan Poe? A raven ​ 34. A 2013 novel by Donna Tartt takes its name from a painting of a bird by Carel Fabritius in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Which bird is it? A goldfinch ​ 35. Only one play by Shakespeare contains the name of an animal in its title. Which play is it? ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ – probably written between 1590 and 1594 THINK OF A NUMBER 36. Add together the Bennet sisters and the Brothers Karamazov. How many have you got? 9 ​ 37. The denouement of a 1915 adventure novel by John Buchan ends on a flight of how many steps? 39. In the novel, the steps lead from a cliff top down to the sea - Buchan had been inspired by a flight that he could see from his nursing home window as he recovered from a duodenal ulcer. The famous 1978 film replaces these with the steps in Big Ben. ​ 38. In which Kurt Vonnegut novel is Billy Pilgrim a prisoner of war in Dresden? Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) ​ 39. To which address on Charing Cross Road did Helene Hanff direct her orders for books? She wrote a novel based on her 20-year correspondence with Marks & Co, antiquarian booksellers, in 1970. 84 ​ 40. How many years did Heinrich Harrer spend educating the young Dalai Lama in his Himalayan kingdom? 7 ; ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ (1952) Thank you for taking part and for supporting Schoolreaders!

Welcome to the quiz... and GOOD LUCK! When you're ready to send us your answers, click on the button below the question sheet to be taken to our online answer form If you would prefer to download or print the questions, please click on the button at the bottom of this page for a pdf. Click here for printable quiz questions Click here to send us your answers

Schoolreaders Race for Reading 2024 Terms and Conditions

Schoolreaders lunch with Joanna Trollope Tuesday 3rd December in the Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey We are looking forward to our fundraising lunch with Joanna Trollope, best-selling author and one of the leading lights of the British literary world for nearly three decades. If you are unable to attend the lunch you may want to support our work by bidding on one of the many fantastic lots which will be offered in a silent auction at the event. Please read on to see a list of lots and to leave bids online. Every £15 we raise means we can offer one-to-one reading support to a child for a whole year - please bid generously! Silent Auction Click here for detailed information about our silent auction and how it works Click here for our online bidding form Click here to read our Auction Terms and Conditions The aucton lots Thanks to our supporters We are very grateful to the Philip and Marjorie Robinson Trust, generous sponsors of this event, and to Her Grace, The Duchess of Bedford, for allowing us to hold our lunch in the magnificent surroundings of the Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey. PHOTO: Barker Evans The auction lots Click here to bid online Many thanks to Haddonstone www.haddonstone.co.uk, 01604 266084 Lot 1 - An ‘Elizabethan’ jardinière from Haddonstone Haddonstone specialises in the production of cast stone architectural ornaments and still proudly makes everything by hand in Northamptonshire, just as it did when the company was founded 50 years ago. This impressive ‘Elizabethan’ Jardinière is ideal for large plants and its classic design will grace any garden. 47cm tall, 43cm wide at base, 66cm wide at top ​ Starting bid: £175 £290 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Many thanks to Howbury Farm Flowers www.howburyfarmflowers.co.uk , 07870 517803 Enjoy a glorious bucket of locally-grown flowers each month between April and October 2020. Your monthly bunch will be a fabulous celebration of all that is at its best in the walled garden at Howbury Hall. Flowers can be delivered within a 10-mile radius of the farm (just east of Bedford), or collected. Alternatively come and hand-pick your blooms. ​ Starting bid: £100 Lot 2 - A season of British cut flowers Current High Bid £150 Current High Bid Osprey’s international reputation for producing leather items to the highest standards of design and craftsmanship is well deserved. The brand was founded in 1980 and remains family-owned, with Graeme and Alex Ellisdon still overseeing production of all stock. The company has recently opened its first Osprey Home stores. ​ Starting bid: £75 Click here to bid online Many thanks to Osprey London Ltd www.ospreylondon.com, 01582 540020 £80 Current High Bid Lot 3 - An 'Ada' grab bag by Osprey London Ltd £245 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Many thanks to Sarah Burles of Cambridge Art Tours www.cambridgearttours.co.uk, 07717 202001 The Fitzwilliam Museum is home to the most important collections of art and antiquities in East Anglia but how much do you know about the treasures it holds? Discover the secrets of the Fitzwilliam with Cambridge-trained art historian Sarah Burles, then enjoy a cream tea in the Courtyard Café. ​ Starting bid: £240 Lot 4 - A private tour of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge for 12 with a cream tea at the Courtyard Cafe Lot 4 - A private tour of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge for 12 with a cream tea at the Courtyard Cafe Click here to bid online Many thanks to Wilson Stephens and Jones Fine & Decorative Art www.wilsonstephensandjones.com, 020 7221 5265 £250 Current High Bid Lot 5 - 'Pigeon', a linocut by Hugo Guinness Hugo is an English painter, illustrator and writer who lives and works in New York. He arrived in the 1990’s with just a degree in ceramics to his name, but was mentored by legendary tastemaker John Derian. Following 3 shows at Derian’s shop, Hugo’s prints are greatly in demand and his work has featured in publications such as ‘The New York Times’, ‘The New Yorker’, and ‘Vogue’. Linocut, 42 x 33cm including frame. ​ Starting bid: £250 Click here to bid online £0 Current High Bid Lot 6 - A couture hat made for you by Siana Yewdall Many thanks to Siana Yewdall www.sianayewdall.com, 07817 395924 Siana Yewdall was trained by the legendary royal milliner Rose Cory, and designs bespoke couture hats for a growing list of private clients. Born and raised in Kenya, Siana draws much of her millinery inspiration from the sights and colours of that vibrant country. From beautiful hats to fascinators, head-dresses to caps and berets, Siana makes all her hats at her studio in Barnes, London. In 2019, Siana was chosen as one of 10 milliners for the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective, celebrating the best of British-based hat designers. ​ Starting bid: £350 Click here to bid online £0 Current High Bid Lot 7 - A gentleman's suit by Norton Bespoke Many thanks to Matthew Norton www.lambtontailoring.co.uk , 0113 2122870 The winner of this lot can choose to have tailored an elegant 2-piece business or dinner suit (3-piece or tweed by negotiation). The suit will be uniquely and individually tailored to the client’s specifications and will be made from one of an extensive range of wool worsted cloths. Matthew Norton has spent 28 years in the world of bespoke tailoring and will ensure perfect fit and style. The Norton Bespoke showroom is behind Charlotte St, London W1 in Fitzrovia. ​ Starting bid: £1,000 Lot 8 - 'London Lane, Sotterley', by Cornelia FitzRoy £600 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Starting bid: £600 Many thanks to Cornelia FitzRoy www.corneliafitzroy.co.uk, 07787 401630 Cornelia FitzRoy is a landscape painter based in East Anglia. She trained at the Byam Shaw School of Art, and Chelsea School of Art. Cornelia’s work is a direct response to the changing colours, light, weather and seasons, and is created outside, braving the elements. Cornelia is a member of Group Eight, a collective of Norfolk artists, and has exhibited extensively, with work appearing in shows at The Royal Academy of Art and Snape Maltings. Acrylic on paper, framed, 76.2 x 58.5cm. ​ Lot 9 - A study of 'Alice' by Helen Oxenbury £0 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Thanks to Helen Oxenbury and to Chris Beetles of The Chris Beetles Gallery www.chrisbeetles.com, 020 7839 7551 Helen Oxenbury is one of the UK’s best-loved illustrators. Generations of children will be familiar with her fluid and intimate watercolour style for there cannot be many nursery shelves without at least one of her books; ‘Bear Hunt’ alone has sold more than 9 million copies. This drawing is a study for an illustration for Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ published by Walker Books in 2014 (p177). Included in this lot is a hard-back copy of Leonard S Marcus’s 2019 book ‘Helen Oxenbury: A Life in Illustration’ signed by the artist. Signed and inscribed, pencil on tracing paper, 16 x 14cm. ​ Starting bid: £300 ​ Lot 10 - a gin tasting for 10 people with Pinkster Gin £0 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Many thanks to Pinkster Gin Ltd www.pinkstergin.com, 01763 849739 A private tour of the Cambridgeshire home of Pinkster, the pink gin pioneer. Pinkster’s premium gin is made with locally-grown fresh raspberries. The core spirit is distilled to the firm’s own recipe before being macerated with three botanicals, including locally-grown raspberries. Come and learn the secrets of gin production and how to mix the ultimate gin cocktails. ​ Starting bid: £350 ​ Lot 11 - A 'Windsor' handbag by Fairfax & Favor £300 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Many thanks to Fairfax & Favor www.fairfaxandfavor.com, 01760 338199 Fairfax & Favor is a young company but it has already earned an extraordinary following for its beautifully crafted leather goods. The Windsor’s defining feature is its interchangeable tassel, a Fairfax & Favor signature touch that enables instant personalisation. ​ Starting bid: £280 Lot 12 - A portrait commission from Milo Browne £350 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Starting bid: £300 Many thanks to Milo Browne 07887 771145 Find Milo on Instagram at Milo_Browne_Art Milo is a twenty-four year old artist working in London and Wiltshire. He has had no formal training but has an extraordinary knack for capturing a likeness - whether the sitter is human, canine or equine. Milo is generously offering an A3-sized portrait of a dog, a horse or a person and will meet the winning bidder for an opportunity to discuss sketches and photographs at a mutually convenient time before carrying out the commission. A charming picture of a meeting between Lord Krishna and a woman, almost certainly one of the Hindu god’s 16,000 wives. Krishna wears the yellow robes in which Hindu deities are often depicted. As the colour of the sun, yellow is often used in Indian painting to suggest light, warmth and happiness. Gouache on paper, 38 x 32.5cm including frame. Lot 13 - An Indian painting of Krishna in a garden £0 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Starting bid: £200 Many thanks to Wilson Stephens and Jones Fine & Decorative Art www.wilsonstephensandjones.com, 020 7221 5265 A charming picture of a meeting between Lord Krishna and a woman, almost certainly one of the Hindu god’s 16,000 wives. Krishna wears the yellow robes in which Hindu deities are often depicted. As the colour of the sun, yellow is often used in Indian painting to suggest light, warmth and happiness. Gouache on paper, 38 x 32.5cm including frame. A charming picture of a meeting between Lord Krishna and a woman, almost certainly one of the Hindu god’s 16,000 wives. Krishna wears the yellow robes in which Hindu deities are often depicted. As the colour of the sun, yellow is often used in Indian painting to suggest light, warmth and happiness. Gouache on paper, 38 x 32.5cm including frame. Lot 14 - A flower course for 1 at The Dorset Walled Garden £85 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Many thanks to Susanne Cooper Find the garden on Instagram at dorsetwalledgarden The beautiful and productive ‘Dorset Walled Garden’ is the home of fantastic flower arranging courses and the garden has been mentioned in ‘The Daily Telegraph’ and ‘Gardens Illustrated’. All materials are provided and coffee, cake and Christmas spirit will be in plentiful supply. This workshop takes place on 14th December, 10am to 1pm, at the Walled Garden which is between Sherborne, Dorchester and Yeovil. If you are unable to attend a workshop before Christmas, you can book on to a session for Easter 2020. Starting bid: £80 A charming picture of a meeting between Lord Krishna and a woman, almost certainly one of the Hindu god’s 16,000 wives. Krishna wears the yellow robes in which Hindu deities are often depicted. As the colour of the sun, yellow is often used in Indian painting to suggest light, warmth and happiness. Gouache on paper, 38 x 32.5cm including frame. Lot 15 - A session with energy healer Alice Young Enjoy a session of gentle yet transformative treatment that works at a cellular level to align and balance the physical body with the subtle energetic and spiritual bodies. The session aims to release emotional trauma from the body, support the central nervous system, balance the endocrine system and enable improved sleeping. You will leave feeling physically and emotionally well. Alice is based in Thurloe Street, South Kensington, London, SW7. Starting bid: £80 £85 Current High Bid Click here to bid online Many thanks to Alice Young youngalice@btconnect.com, 020 7589 6414 Back to top End of auction lots How the Silent Auction works How the silent auction works Please go to the top of this page or click here to see a list of the fantastic lots on offer. These lots will all be sold in a silent auction at our lunch on 3rd December. If you cannot attend the lunch but would like to bid, we are accepting bids online until 10am on Tuesday 3rd December. Once online bidding has closed, it will only be possible to bid in person at our lunch. If you place a bid online please therefore be aware that you may still be outbid by a guest bidding live at our lunch. ​ Prior to the online bidding closing at 10am on Tuesday 3rd December, the current highest bid for each lot will be displayed next to that lot on this webpage. The bids will be updated at regular intervals each day. ​ At the lunch on 3rd December guests will be able to make bids in person for each lot. Instructions for bidding in person will be available at the event. ​ Live bidding will close at 2.40pm and winners, who may have bid online previously or in person at the lunch, will be informed shortly thereafter. Please click here to see our Auction Terms and Conditions. ​ Back to top Place an online bid here Place an online bid here If you would like to make an online bid in our Silent Auction please fill out the form below. Please read our Auction Terms and Conditions before placing a bid. ​ Please note that if you wish to bid on more than one lot, you will need to fill out a fresh form for each one. ​ ​ Please note that bidding on the Silent Auction has now closed Back to top

Why are we needed? Around a quarter of all children left primary school last year unable to read well. These children are at a disadvantage because they are unable to access their secondary education properly, and this has lifelong consequences. Good literacy at an early age improves academic achievement and this leads to greater opportunities of all kinds in adulthood. Unfortunately the statistics on UK reading ability are stark: - One in four children left primary school in 2022 unable to read to the required standard. School closures caused by the Covid crisis will almost certainly have made this statistic worse. ​ -Only around half (51%) of disadvantaged pupils reached the expected standard of reading at Key stage 1. ​ - Children who read for pleasure at the age of 11 are far more likely to go on to have a positive experience of school and have much improved life chances. - The National Literacy Trust estimated that in 2021, there were 7.1 million functionally illiterate adults in the United Kingdom, who will likely have difficulty reading the front page of a broadsheet newspaper, understanding the instructions on a medicine bottle, sitting a theory test for a driver’s licence, or succeeding in writing a job application. ​ 1 3 2 4 Research suggests that there could be a strong link between raising levels of childhood literacy and lowering the risk of offending. - Nearly half (48%) of young offenders have a reading age below that of an 11-year-old whilst 40% of those in prison have poor reading skills. -Sadly 57% of people entering the prison system have literacy skills lower than those expected of an 11-year-old. ​ ​​ 6 5 SOURCES 1. National curriculum assessments at Key Stage 2 in England, 2022, www.gov.uk , updated 15th December 2022, Department for Education 2. KS1 phonics screening check attainment, www.Gov.uk, October 2022 3. 'Mental wellbeing, reading and writing' Report from The Literacy T rust, October 2018 4 . Adult Literacy (2021), The National Literacy Trust. 5. OLASS English and Maths assessments, (2018) 6. Prison education: a review of reading education in prisons (2022)

FAQs How do I register? You can sign up for the quiz by clicking here . Once you’ve filled in a few details, we’ll email you a link to the quiz questions and information on how to send us your answers. When does the quiz run? The quiz runs between April 2021 and 31st August 2021. Registrations close on Thursday 26th August, with the quiz itself ending at midnight on Tuesday 31st August. Can I enter as an individual? Yes, the quiz is open to individuals and to groups such as Book Clubs, work colleagues, or families and friends wishing to enter as a team. ​ How do I send in my answers? Please click here to send us your answers. Answers must be submitted by midnight on 31st August 2021 if you would like to be eligible for a prize. What are the prizes? First prize will be a case of Prosecco (to be shared if you have entered as a team), as well as signed books. Everyone submitting an entry, regardless of their score, will be entered into a draw for further prizes and our wonderful reading volunteers will be entered into a prize draw of their own. Do I have to send in my answers? No, you can just do the quiz for your own entertainment, but if you’d like the chance to win a prize you do need to submit your answers. ​ How do I see the correct quiz answers? Correct quiz answers will be posted on our website in early September, with winners being notified shortly afterwards. How can I donate? Please click here to donate. If you are participating as a team and think others might like to donate, please help them find our website - www.schoolreaders.org - or ask them to visit Virgin Money Giving and search for Schoolreaders Book Club Quiz. Thank you for supporting us. ​ Terms and Conditions Please click here to see the quiz Terms & Conditions. Any further questions or comments? Please contact us on 01234 924 333 or email us on quiz@schoolreaders.org . We’d love to hear from you.

COUNTY TEAMS April 2021 VOLUNTARY COUNTY AMBASSADORS ROSIE CUNNINGHAM, Dorset Ambassador 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. VICTORIA DUNLOP, Hertfordshire Ambassador Victoria has a degree in History and French and worked in retail and investment management. She has lived in Hertfordshire for 30 years and is married with 2 adult children. She helped as a reading volunteer at her children’s primary schools, and raised funds for charities at their secondary schools. She is now a reading volunteer at a school in Stevenage which she loves. She supports the NSPCC with fund raising events, and is a telephone volunteer with the the Miscarriage Association. She enjoys reading, fitness and gardening. BUMBLE GAMBIER, Suffolk Fundraising Ambassador 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 ALTHAUS, Somerset Ambassador 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. LAURA KENYON-SLANEY, Oxfordshire Ambassador 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 KELLAGHER, Cornwall Supporter 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 RAMSDEN, Leicestershire and Rutland Ambassador 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 HUBBARD, Norfolk Ambassador 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 WARD, Cambridgeshire Ambassador 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. JUDY STEWART, Bedfordshire Ambassador 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 JO GAMMELL, Hampshire Ambassador 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 SEATON, Berkshire Ambassador 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 WIGGINTON, Buckinghamshire Ambassador 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. VOLUNTARY COUNTY SUPPORTERS VOLUNTARY COUNTY SUPPORTERS SUZANNE BUCKLAND, Nottinghamshire County Supporter Suzanne spent a decade working in London in Marketing before moving to Nottinghamshire. She became involved in fundraising and charity events for her children's school, and was active helping the younger children to read. She also learnt Sign Language to Level 2 and became a volunteer in a school to help a child with hearing difficulties. She has also been a volunteer in a Nursing Home as an Activities Co-ordinator. PETER HENRY, Buckinghamshire County Supporter After a career in marketing, Peter is now focussed on volunteering. Currently, he is an Enterprise Advisor with the Bucks Skills Hub where his role is to work with secondary schools to help provide the students with experiences with the world of work, enabling them to make better decisions about their paths through higher, further education and into a career. He joined Schoolreaders in 2021 as a reader at an Infant’s School in Watford and in 2022 took on the additional role of County Supporter for Bucks. In addition he has carried out projects for the organisation in the area of school engagement. One of his personal goals is to grow the number of male volunteers readers as, especially in infant schools, male role models are very much appreciated. VICTORIA COUBROUGH, Bedfordshire Supporter Victoria has lived in Bedfordshire for 25 years and has 4 grown up children and 2 grandchildren. With a degree in hotel and business management, Victoria’s early career was in the hospitality industry, before setting up and running small businesses; and is currently a director of a hotel and a cottage letting business. Keen to support children and early education, Victoria has been a reading volunteer in primary schools and a mentor at secondary schools. She set up a branch of the NSPCC whilst living in north London and is a founding member and trustee of The Friends of her local church. Victoria's interests include cookery, literature, art and painting, equestrian sports and, more recently, golf. ANNA PHILLIPS, Bedfordshire Supporter English literature and language have been my lifelong passion. Reading endlessly as a child equipped me to study English at Oxford University, work as a journalist and later as an English teacher. It’s wonderful to support children starting on their reading journey as a Schoolreader. I love gardening, dog walking and seeing friends and family and am still trying to hit a decent 9 holes on the golf course!