Jay Blades: Learn-to-read groups more than double after TV show

Aaron Rogers having a reading lesson from coach Anne Jones at the Cambridge Read Easy session

A charity has seen a rise in adults learning to read after a documentary showed TV host Jay Blades learning at the age of 51.

Read Easy in Cambridge said more people have contacted them for help since the Repair Shop presenter went public .

Teresa Baker, a Read Easy team leader, said it had now increased reading groups from six to 15 in the east of England.

She said some 2.4m adults in England can barely read or not read at all.

The Cambridge group has helped Aaron Rogers learn to read fluently. He said making the decision to improve his skills at the age of 35 was a huge step outside of his comfort zone.

Aaron Rogers said he decided to improve his reading skills as a result of trying to read to his young daughter

"I was really scared, I felt embarrassed, quite silly if I'm honest. But now that I'm as far as I am, I'm proud of myself for doing it," he said.

It was his daughter who prompted him to learn to read to a better standard.

"I've got a little girl and she likes me to read books to her. Peppa Pig, Ben and Holly," he said.

"And because I couldn't read properly, I seized the opportunity to learn how to read better."

Volunteer reading coach Anne Jones said it took a lot of bravery to learn to read as an adult

He attends his group twice weekly, and his coach helps him break down long or complicated words, something he has always struggled with.

"I used to just miss them out, but now I know how to split them up and eventually I get what the word means," he said.

He is taught by volunteer, Anne Jones, a retired speech therapist who wanted to use her skills to help people "realise their potential".

"I'm in awe of the people that come along, because they're so brave to start it in the first place, to hold their hand up and say 'I need some help' and that's a hard thing to do," she said.

Theresa Baker, Cambridge's Read Easy team leader, said some 2.4m people in England struggle with reading

Ms Baker said the impact of Jay Blades' documentary was a 104% increase in adults wanting to learn to read and a 56% rise in volunteer coaches coming forward.

"It is a real issue for people who haven't picked up reading. Jay Blades has just made it so much easier for people to come forward," she said.

Mr Rogers said he hoped more people would take the plunge as being able to read had changed his life.

"Don't be embarrassed, " he said. "If I can do it, anybody can do it, do it. I'll say crack on and you'll benefit from it and love it eventually.

"It's good fun and my daughter absolutely loves it."

Repair shop host Jay Blades' documentary about how he only started learning to read aged 51 has seen an explosion in numbers of people seeking help with literacy