Alfred Robbins Lodge

A generous £10,000 grant from London Freemasons enables the Adult Literacy Trust (ALT)  to fund the recruitment, training and management costs of one learning cohort, of 35 adult learners, to improve their literacy skills, self-confidence, employability and wellbeing. 

The grant means that ALT can recruit more volunteers from the local communities in which we work, before training and matching them to adults in need of life-changing one-to-one reading support. Focusing on their individual needs, London Freemason funding fuels our Reading Coaches’ work: to check learners’ understanding, to build their confidence in reading and their self-esteem, and to maintain their motivation to keep learning. 

Volunteers funded by London Freemasons will lead small groups of learners in informal group sessions, working collectively to focus on navigating practical literacy challenges in everyday life, to boost life skills and to foster an overall appreciation for reading.

ALT matches learners with trained volunteers to provide one-to-one support, as a complement to teaching in formal education settings. Offering a unique solution to systemic challenges perpetuating poverty and hardship in disadvantaged communities, ALT’s volunteers act as an essential accompaniment to the progress learners are making in the classroom, and help to accelerate and consolidate that progress. 

By harnessing the value of community and volunteering, ALT are able to supplement the foundational learning taking place in overcrowded classes, providing adult learners with the tailored support they need to succeed.

It is estimated that more than 8 million adults in the UK (1 in 6) are ‘functionally illiterate’, lacking basic skills beyond a primary school level, or below. The lack of reading skills can have devastating impacts on a person’s life, and is a key contributor to an intergenerational cycle of poverty. 

The Adult Literacy Trust (ALT) believes that literacy is a right, not a privilege, and wants every adult to have the chance to gain this critical skill. The charity was set up to ensure that individuals who wish to improve their literacy skills receive the help they need to become successful readers, and to increase their life chances. 

Robert Glick, Chair, Adult Literacy Trust, said:

“Our charity was founded on the belief that literacy is a right, not a privilege, and we are working to ensure that lifelong learning opportunities are accessible to all, one individual at a time. We rely entirely on the generosity of organisations such as London Freemasons to allow this to happen, and are incredibly grateful for their support. Together, we are convinced we can make a huge difference to the life chances of so many.” 

Paul King, London Freemasons said:

“Literacy is something that most of us take for granted and to be able to support ALT in their mission to support and improve literacy within our community is something that we are proud to be able to support”.