Barking and Dagenham literacy champions

Families and volunteers from Barking and Dagenham visited London’s City Hall in recognition of their involvement in a National Literacy Trust project.

The Literacy Champions scheme, which is funded by Mayor of London Boris Johnson, aims to harness volunteers from across the capital to help them work with young people and vulnerable groups to improve their quality of life and opportunities.

According to the Greater London Authority, one London child in three struggles with literacy.

In the past year more than 450 volunteers have become literacy champions to show parents how to support their children with reading and writing.

Trust director, Jonathan Douglas, said: “Each year, hundreds of children in London enter education struggling with the basic language and learning skills needed to succeed in the classroom.

“Literacy Champions has demonstrated that friends, neighbours and other community members can help parents support the literacy of their children.

“This is particularly important for parents who don’t feel confident using services such as libraries.”