Charity walk from Newcastle to North Shields raises awareness of adult illiteracy

The route saw the group begin in Newcastle on Saturday and end on the coast, with some short breaks in Newcastle City Library, East End Library, Walker Library and Wallsend Library.

Despite rainfall all day threatening the walk, the group enjoyed a day of making connections and raising awareness about adult illiteracy.

According to estimates, 16.5% of adults in the UK have a lower than primary school ability to read, with that figure rising to 17% in the north east of England.

Readeasy Newcastle and North Tyneside has been going for 2.5 years and now has over 45 volunteers, enabling 23 adults in our region to learn to read, and is still growing.

ReadEasy is committed to ‘ensuring that every adult who wants to learn to read can’.

The walk, completed by volunteers and supporters of the group, saw them raise awareness of adult illiteracy within the local communities they passed through - with the local community giving back by offering refreshments to the group, namely at Retro Bay Cafe in Whitley Bay and Barry’s Fruit and Veg in North Shields as the walk entered its final stages.

The walk successfully raised awareness in the community, highlighting excellent partnerships with Newcastle and North Tyneside Libraries was achieved.

ReadEasy supports the ‘Go All In’ Year of Reading initiative with the National Literacy Trust and thanks them for providing books to give to supporters.

Read Easy also has a group in Northumberland and is in the earlier stages of inception.