The 'Get London Reading' Campaign

On a pleasantly subdued Monday rush hour journey home, not only was I thankful for my own personal space on the tube, but I was pleased to see a highly positive Evening Standard headline: Get London Reading. Yes please. Sometimes my ambitions to save the world from self-destruction, to create world peace and to persuade doctors to provide Haribos free on the NHS grow weary in the face of such gloomy headlines. Alas, this news story we can actually do something about.

The aim is to gain a network of volunteers who will go into schools to support those children who are struggling to read. The campaign is joining forces with charity Volunteer Reading Help (VRH) in their mission to reduce dramatic illiteracy rates in the capital. They are in great need of volunteers however, and a means by which to fund them. Yes the old money issue once again. So VRH are also seeking donations from the public to fund readers. In total, a donation of £500 will be matched by a school in order to fund volunteers to the programme. Not a bad idea at all. And even more inspiring is the collaborative involvement of companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers and Random House who actually allow their employees time off work, fully paid, to read with children in local schools for a certain amount of time each week. Bloody fantastic is all I can say. Such a great initiative, because it is all about commitment- committing to the child and their reading progression, to see them through the process and watch them grow and improve as their reading skills flourish.

It's hard enough to get a job as it is! Unemployment rates are highest in the 18-26 year old category, and apparently we are the 'lost generation' in terms of employment opportunities. So what lies in store for these kids who can't read? Reading gives us value in our surroundings, understanding of our selves; it gives us a sense of escapism from realities that we may need to take a step back from. Words feed the imagination and without them, life is just a little bit dull.

It's a good cause so get on it: standard.co.uk/getlondonreading

(And no, nobody paid me to right this article. I am just a sap for a bit of altruism, particularly on a Monday).