A retired school nurse from Nantwich is proving just the tonic for children needing a little extra help with their reading.
Mother-of-three Patricia Pickles is a volunteer with Schoolreaders, a charity that recruits people to visit a local primary school each week to listen to children read to improve their reading and comprehension skills.
And it was back to school for Patricia who took up the role at Nantwich Primary Academy on Manor Road a year ago.
During 20 years as a school nurse she visited every school in Crewe and Nantwich to carry out vaccinations, educational talks and mental health drop in sessions.
“I spent most of my working life round children so it’s wonderful to be back among them again,” she said.
“I just love seeing their little faces light up and as an avid reader, the role offers an opportunity to share my love of books.”
Patricia reads with children individually and when they are stuck on a word, she’ll break it down, just as she used to with her own children now in their 30s.
She added: “I’m greeted by a chorus of ‘Hello Mrs Pickles,’ when I visit class, quite delightful.
“It’s rewarding seeing the children progress and become more confident.
“Volunteering is also completely flexible and I would recommend it to anyone who has an hour or two to spare every now and then.”
The charity is keen to recruit more local people like Patricia, particularly in Nantwich where she’s the only volunteer.
A spokesperson said: “Reading for pleasure is currently the most significant factor in improving a child’s access to secondary education and their life chances beyond.
“Our volunteers help encourage this as well by giving the children more confidence with their reading.
“It is vital that we can recruit more volunteers, like Trish, in Nantwich but also across Cheshire.
“In Nantwich we currently only have one active volunteer, so we need more people to sign up in the town.
Schoolreaders also matches its volunteers to areas in which children face the most deprivation and may require more support.
It would also like to hear from anyone who is able to volunteer their time in Crewe.
The spokesperson added: “Just 10 minutes of reading with a child can have a significant difference on their literacy and future life chances, so if you can spare just an hour week, you can make a world of difference.”
For more on how to get involved go to Schoolreaders.org
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