Alyce’s story

Alyce has been volunteering with the National Literacy Trust in Wiltshire since 2023. As an English tutor, she saw firsthand how reading regularly boosts literacy skills.

Joining the National Literacy Trust gave her the opportunity to champion the importance of literacy – and she’s made a big impact through social media, helping increase access to books in her local community.

The spark that started it all

In January 2024, Alyce had the idea to share children’s books with families in her area, she had gathered a growing collection of books and wanted to give them a new life. She posted them on her town’s Facebook page offering them for free. The response was immediate – parents eagerly reached out requesting the books and soon began donating their own.

Encouraged by her community’s enthusiasm, Alyce created a dedicated Facebook group to keep the momentum going. Today, she helps to coordinate the donation and collection of children’s books for all ages. The group has grown to 90 members with over 100 books donated so far.

When Alyce volunteered at her local library to support the Summer Reading Challenge, she noticed that some of the children didn’t have access to books at home. This made her even more passionate about her online initiative. For Alyce, reading is all about sparking conversations and igniting imagination.

She believes a limited access to books is holding children back from having important conversations and developing their creativity.

Rediscovering her love of reading

Growing up, Alyce loved reading in her free time, but having to read books she wasn’t excited about in secondary school made her lose interest. Eventually, she stopped reading altogether – until a life-changing accident left her bedridden in hospital. During that time, she rediscovered her love of reading, and that experience shaped her approach today.

Now, when children come to pick up books, Alyce gives them the autonomy to pick what catches their attention. She finds that parents watching their children make these choices helps them understand what their child is truly interested in.

One moment Alyce will never forget is when a mum and daughter came to pick up books. The girl stood in front of her and said, “I’d like to give these books for another girl to enjoy, they’re fairy books, my favourite but I am happy to share them.” Seeing a child share books for others to enjoy made Alyce realise the difference she was making.

Alyce isn’t just making an impact on local families – she’s also challenge perceptions. As a disabled person who uses a wheelchair, Alyce has found that volunteering gives her a visibility and creates opportunities for meaningful conversations with non-disabled children which can help to break down stigma.

There are lots of ways to get involved as a volunteer, including setting up online platforms like the one Alyce runs. If you’re interested in volunteering to support the work of the National Literacy Trust, you can sign up here.