Grant gives adults a second chance at literacy

A grant from the University of Derby’s Community Fund will buy specialist books to help give adults who missed out at school a second chance to learn to read.

Bright Opportunities is a Buxton charity which runs a day service for people with learning difficulties. A retired headteacher has volunteered to help teach their clients to read and write twice a week in one-to-one sessions – but specialist books are not cheap.

The University’s grant of £285 will buy books, audio books and cross-words designed to make the process easy and fun.

“These are fantastic reaching resources and are vital to teaching, with a simple easy-to-read format for our clients,” said Tracey Green, of Bright Opportunities.

“We give our clients the opportunities they didn’t have as children due to distracted learning and lack of funding or teaching time at the schools they attended. The rewards and sense of achievement are enormous.”

To find out more, go to Bright Opportunities

The Community Fund is one way in which the University hopes to 'give back' to local people through grants to inspiring projects that seek to benefit the community.

Community groups throughout Derby and Derbyshire will be able to bid for their share of £15,000 over the next 12 months. There will be three rounds of funding in 2016/17, with £5,000 available in each round.

The Fund is now accepting applications for the next round of awards.