Help Close the Literacy Gap
The National Year of Reading 2026 is our moment to change the story for thousands of children falling behind. Become a reading volunteer and help a child build confidence, discover the joy of reading, and close the gap before it widens.
Reading stories – online or in person – for just one hour a week can help a child in need to thrive in school and beyond.
What the literacy gap really means
The literacy gap is the growing divide between children who read well and those who don’t. Today, one in four children leave primary school with poor literacy skills and children from disadvantaged communities are far more likely to fall behind.
Children who struggle to read find every subject harder. They often lose confidence, fall out of love with learning, and feel left out in school. The consequences can last a lifetime; poor literacy is linked to lower qualifications, limited job prospects, poorer health, and even higher rates of poverty and incarceration.
Without the right support early on children fall behind — and often stay behind. This is the gap. And it’s growing.
Why become a reading volunteer?
As a Bookmark reading volunteer, you’ll work directly with children in disadvantaged communities, either online or face-to-face in school, providing one-to-one support that can truly change a child’s life.
You’ll read stories and play games with a child aged between 5 – 11 for 30 minutes, twice a week. It’s simple, flexible and profoundly rewarding.
Support a child’s learning journey and build their confidence and imagination.
Make a real difference – volunteers say they feel deeply fulfilled seeing their young readers grow through our evidence-based programme.
No experience needed – we’ll provide full training and resources. All you need is an hour a week and a desire to help!
Flexible to fit your life – sessions are short and scheduled when it suits you.
The National Year of Reading 2026
The National Year of Reading 2026 is a UK-wide campaign led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust to inspire a love of reading and tackle the growing literacy gap.
By becoming a reading volunteer this year, you’ll be joining a national effort to help children from disadvantaged communities catch up with their peers and close the gap before it becomes a lifelong disadvantage.
Why volunteer with Bookmark?
Our programme is flexible and inclusive, so anyone – retirees, professionals, or students – can make a real impact:
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Help children gain vital reading skills
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Boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem through reading
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Join a supportive community of volunteers
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Witness the impact of your volunteering firsthand
What volunteers say
We take pride in offering a volunteer role that is impactful, enjoyable and accessible.
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Even if one child is influenced to think “books are for me” or “I can do this” or “I do want to go to university and study English” – what an incredible difference to have made just by virtue of spending two half-hours a week with them.
Claire, Volunteer 
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It was such a wonderful experience. I was very happy knowing that I was helping someone. The child really improved a lot during the programme. It was really rewarding for me to see the improvement.
Jo, Volunteer 
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My reader really struggled at first with even simple words but he has improved steadily, giving me a real sense of achievement. I can really see the improvement he is making...
Volunteer 
