News: Reading Matters for Horner Brothers

Rotherham print group, Horner Brothers has seen their work with charity group, Reading Matters rewarded at the third annual Yorkshire Forward Creating Better Futures awards.

The awards, which were handed out at the Leeds City Museum last week, recognise partnerships that benefit communities throughout the region.

Horner Brothers took home a Creating Better Futures Award, and Reading Matters won a prize of £10,000 to invest in the continued running of their project.

Horner Brothers wanted to build a relationship with a local high school and approached Reading Matters to broker that relationship. In return Reading Matters get all their printing done for free and have access to a wider pool of business supporters and volunteers.

Reading Matters, which provides one-on-one reading tuition in schools, have continued to provide support such as undertaking CRB checks on volunteers, training volunteers and organising review visits.

Catherine McGrath, Chief Executive of Reading Matters, said: "At Reading Matters, we want society in general to have a better understanding of why some young people struggle with reading and the wider negative impact that this can have on their lives, their families lives and on society as a whole.

"We will now be able to continue and develop our incredibly positive and effective work with Horner Brothers Print Group and Brinsworth Comprehensive School, a really exciting and innovative partnership.

"This award will help to raise the profile of our work still further and will enable us to continue to invest in forging relationships with other forward-thinking organisations and schools across The Yorkshire and Humber Region."

Horner Brothers website
Reading Matters website
Yorkshire Forward website

Images: yorkshire-forward.com

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News: Horner Brothers recognised for creating better futures

Rotherham print group, Horner Brothers, has been named as a finalist in the Yorkshire Forward Creating Better Futures Awards.

The awards recognise partnerships between private and public sector organisations and voluntary, community and faith organisations that benefit communities throughout Yorkshire and Humber.

Horner Brothers have been recognised for their involvement with the Reading Matters charity which began in 2008.

Reading Matters trained employees at the Templeborough company as volunteer reading mentors to enable them to help local school children who struggle with reading.

The scheme provides great team building benefits and volunteers gain satisfaction from the knowledge that they are helping to support and inspire young people by improving their reading skills and self confidence.

In return for the training investment and ongoing support from Reading Matters, Horner Brothers donated £500 to Reading Matters and printed all the marketing and stationary materials for the charity free of charge.

The awards take place in Leeds on July 1 where seven awards will be presented in all. In each case both partners will receive an award and the VCF organisation will receive a £10,000 grant.

Horner Brothers website
Reading Matters website

Yorkshire Forward website

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News: United provide inspiration for Rotherham kids

Rotherham United's first team squad has taken their first step toward an NOCN accreditation with their involvement in training as part of the "Inspire Rotherham" Project. The Yorkshire Forward funded project aims to raise standards in reading and communication for children under 11. Rotherham United is fully supporting the initiative and will work with its Community Sports Trust to widely promote the project and use the Millers brand to engage hard to reach families. Social enterprise, Reading Matters will train the players to gain the skills and confidence to act as Reading Mentors. The players will gain an accreditation via the NOCN which will give them the confidence and skills to inspire the young people of Rotherham. Millers player Dale Tonge said: "It was a real eye opener to what we will need to be able to do when we get involved in the schools and start working with the kids. "Once we have completed the training it will be nice to meet the children and help them with their reading. It is always important to be able to come into the community and take part in events such as this. It gives us the opportunity to give something back to the supporters and that is something that we are all required to do." Later this month the players begin attending schools in Maltby as part of the pilot for Inspire Rotherham.
Rotherham United website
Inspire Rotherham website
Reading Matters blog

Rotherham

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News: Rotherham printers inspire students to read

Staff from the Rotherham firm Horner Brothers Print Group (HBPG) have been volunteering as Reading Mentors at a local school, Brinsworth Comprehensive School, a Science College. Students at the school have benefited from one-to-one reading support in a pioneering relationship established by the Reading Matters charity. Children who struggle with reading will have difficulties with much of their school work. Reading Matters has shown that the simple programme of support, advice and 'top up' training provided by HBPG staff can have dramatic results, making a real difference to the young people's lives by developing their reading skills and self-confidence. The employees were interviewed, checked with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and trained by Reading Matters before starting at the school in September 2008. Each employee works with one student per term. They spend a hour together each week in two half-hour sessions. HBPG staff have built strong relationships with the students and staff at the school, as well as with each other, which has helped build a strong team spirit. Christine Mullan, HR Director at HBPG, said: "Staff have loved helping the children at Brinsworth School. They get enormous satisfaction from the knowledge they are really helping to support and inspire young people in our community." Richard Hanks, Project Manger for Reading Matters in Sheffield and Rotherham, said: "Reading Matters' slogan is 'improve reading skills and change lives' and that is certainly what the staff from Horner Brothers have done by donating their time and energy to helping Brinsworth students." In return for the training investment and ongoing support from Reading Matters, HBPG have donated £500 to Reading Matters and are printing all the marketing and stationary materials for the charity free of charge, a mutually beneficial arrangement, as the charity is aiming to raise its profile over the coming months with a campaign promoting its good work.

Horner Brothers website
Reading Matters website

Rotherham

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