Reading charity appealing for volunteers

Volunteer coach Janet Batson has been working with Debbie Flaherty, who could not learn to read as a child

A volunteer reading coach says she "gets so emotional" about helping adults learn to read.

The charity Read Easy is looking for more volunteers to take one-to-one sessions with people in Kettering and Corby.

The organisation says 2.4 million people in the UK are unable to read.

Janet Batson, one of the current volunteers, said she was very proud of the progress her latest student had made.

Read Easy was founded in 2010 by a literacy tutor at Dorchester Prison in Dorset who ran an inmate-to-inmate reading programme.

She realised that a confidential, one-to-one approach could encourage people who might be reluctant to join a class to come forward for help.

Debbie Flaherty, 60, was partnered with coach Ms Batson when she decided to gain a skill she had not acquired at school.

She said: "My life wasn't good - I was in domestic violence, so I never learned to read or go to school."

Debbie Flaherty said she loved her one-to-one reading sessions with Janet Batson

After working one-to-one with Ms Batson, she said: "My confidence is brilliant, I can read and understand and I absolutely love it.

"I'd recommend it to anybody."

Her coach added: "I can't tell you how proud I am.

"I get so emotional because she's done so well - and she's done all the hard work, not me."

Rachael Eddy, the team leader for Kettering and Corby, is hoping more volunteer coaches will come forward

The service is in demand, with people waiting to be paired with coaches and the charity on the look out for volunteers.

Rachael Eddy, the team leader for Kettering and Corby, said: "We've got six people waiting to learn to read, they're really, really keen.

"All of our coaches at the moment have been with their readers for a number of months, in some cases a couple of years.

"At the end of that process, I've yet to meet a coach who hasn't wanted to do it again."

The charity provides training, books and other resources.

Jane Davies has been coaching Lloyd Ganderton, who now has the confidence to do talks in public

Jane Davies, who is coaching Luke Ganderton, said: "This is one of the most rewarding things I have done, seeing the change in Lloyd, how his confidence has grown massively."

Mr Ganderton said he was now confident enough to do talks in public, and there had been a time when he would not even venture outside the house.