High Sheriff celebrates life‑changing literacy work of volunteers on World Book Day

Dr Fooks visited the charity at the Sky Lounge at The Shore Community Church, where he met volunteer reading coaches and several adults who are currently learning to read through the programme. The visit highlighted the powerful impact that literacy can have for people who struggled at school or who have spent many years quietly hiding their inability to read.

The visit comes during the week of World Book Day, which is celebrated this year on Thursday 5th March 2026. While the day is widely associated with encouraging children to discover the enjoyment of books, the work of organisations such as Read Easy shows that the opportunity to learn to read can transform lives at any stage of adulthood.

Read Easy Chichester & Arun is a volunteer‑led organisation providing confidential, free, one‑to‑one reading coaching for adults who cannot read or who struggle with even basic written words. Each learner, known as a “Reader”, is paired with a trained volunteer coach and they meet twice a week for 30‑minute sessions in informal community settings such as libraries, cafés and drop‑in centres.

Week by week Readers work through a carefully designed programme that builds confidence and practical reading skills. For many adults, learning to read opens the door to everyday independence. It can mean understanding letters from the doctor, reading road signs, checking travel directions, following recipes or instructions, and enjoying books and newspapers for the first time.

Volunteers shared examples of how their Readers’ lives have been transformed. Some have gone on to secure promotions at work or enrol in further education. Others have spoken about the joy of reading stories to grandchildren, understanding menus in restaurants, following hobby instructions or confidently getting on the right bus. These everyday achievements, often taken for granted by confident readers, represent a profound step forward for people who may have struggled with literacy for most of their lives.

The charity currently supports Readers in Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Chichester. Across the Arun and Chichester districts it is estimated that around seven per cent of adults cannot read or can barely read. Many people keep this difficulty hidden for years because of embarrassment or negative experiences at school.

Volunteers are central to the programme’s success. Reading coaches receive training and ongoing support from the charity, but they do not need to be teachers. What matters most is patience, encouragement and a willingness to give time regularly to help someone build confidence and skills.

During the visit Dr Fooks spoke with one Reader who described how learning to read had transformed everyday life and opened up opportunities that had previously felt out of reach. The conversation illustrated just how fundamental literacy is to independence and personal confidence.

Speaking afterwards, Dr Fooks said: “Meeting the Readers and volunteers today was both inspiring and humbling. One Reader spoke very movingly about how learning to read has opened up a new world not only for her but also for her family. Being able to read is fundamental to independence and to fulfilling one’s potential in life. I was particularly struck by the dedication of the volunteers who quietly give their time week after week. Their patience, encouragement and generosity are helping people gain confidence, opportunity and the simple pleasure of reading.”

Read Easy Chichester & Arun hopes that raising awareness of its work – particularly during World Book Day week – will encourage more people to come forward, both those who would like help learning to read and those who would like to volunteer to support the programme.

For more information go to https://readeasy.org.uk/groups/chichesterarun/