A SCHEME to help adults in Blackbird Leys who struggle to read is progressing well after two months of lessons.

The Read Easy project, which pairs volunteer coaches with adult learners to boost literacy skills and improve their confidence in reading and writing.

Participants may have struggled in the education system in the past and have little grasp of written English, or merely need help in achieving fluency.

So far 12 coaches have been trained and five paired up with readers in the Blackbird Leys for one-to-one sessions twice a week.

Chairwoman Angela Dormon said: "The first readers are getting on well. They have only been matched for about two months and we have had some really nice feedback from the coaches, who seem to be enjoying it. Each one is finding different things of interest or challenging.

"We are doing quite well and hoping to plan a second round of coach training, so for anyone that might be interested, now is the time to apply."

All sessions are free and there is no formal exam or qualification at the end, so readers can work at their own pace for as long as they feel comfortable.

People in who know someone in the Blackbird Leys area - or nearby in areas such as Cowley or Littlemore - who could benefit from the sessions should email blackbirdleys@readeasy.org.uk