About VRH

Volunteer Reading Help (VRH) is a national charity that helps children who struggle with their reading to develop a love of reading and learning. We were established in 1973 by our Founder and President, Susan Belgrave MBE. What we do is simple: we recruit and train reading helpers to work with children aged 6-11 who find reading a challenge and may need extra support and mentoring. Without individual support children can fall behind their peers and lack confidence and self esteem. Many may find it difficult to interact socially with adults. In later years they may drift into offending behaviour. Our trained network of reading helpers support the same children week in, week out, giving each an hour of quality, one to one time. They read, they play, they talk. With the support of VRH their approach to learning and enjoying is often transformed. Their confidence, self esteem and reading standards improve.
 
Our work takes place in schools but outside the classroom. We also work with looked after children, often the most vulnerable children in society. 

The work of VRH benefits our reading helpers too. Some have been out of work for long periods of time and may lack the confidence to seek paid employment. Many find their experience of volunteering helps them to develop their skills and confidence. Many go on to find employment, for example, as classroom assistants. Some are looking to put something back into society following retirement. Our reading helpers are all ages and come from a variety of backgrounds but what links them all together is a profound sense of enjoyment in what they do. Improving the diversity of our volunteer workforce - to attract more young men and people from BME communities - is one of our key aims over the next three years.

WANT TO VOLUNTEER WITH US? Click here to find out how

 

Buying Books?
Click on the Amazon site on the left and VRH receives 5% commission on purchases.

Buying Christmas or Birthday Cards?
Click on the Online Greetings Cards link and VRH receives 10% commission.

Please remember to enter through this site in order for VRH to benefit.  

Why not share your special day and help a child learn to read?

Wedding List Giving

VRH has subscribed to the Wedding List Giving service which enables couples to make a donation to their favourite charity instead of, or alongside, their wedding list. Any couples choosing to include a charitable donation to VRH as part of their wedding list can register on-line at www.weddinglistgiving.com where they can select VRH as their charity and enter their wedding details. The site automatically sets up a wedding webpage for the couple and provides them with an individual webpage reference which they can send to their guests in their wedding invitations. Guests use the reference to make their donations online on behalf of the couple. When they make their donations guests can send the couple a personal message via the couple’s wedding webpage. Wedding List Giving keeps track of the donations and they personally telephone the couple the day before the wedding to let them know how much their guests have helped them to raise so that they can announce the total figure on their wedding day. They send all couples a special certificate on behalf of their chosen charity and a box of Wedding List Giving thank you cards to those guests who made donations.