## **Annual Report 2023** ## **DORSET READING PARTNERS** **May 2023** **Registered charity no. 1116404** ## Charity Details ## **Objectives** - 1) To advance the education of children in Dorset, particularly by helping with their reading development, - 2) To advance the education of volunteers, by the provision of advice and training. ## **Activities Undertaken for Public Benefit** Dorset Reading Partners recruits, trains, supports and equips literacy volunteers who provide regular, sustained, one-to-one support to local children in order to help them with their reading development. Reading partners work in primary schools with children, aged between 4 - 11, identified by their teachers as requiring extra support or nurturing. Our focus is on increasing children’s motivation and confidence and improving their wellbeing, as well as developing their language and reading skills. ## **Trustees** The board of trustees oversees the management of the Charity as well as providing support & guidance to staff, and meets four times a year. Alison Debenham Heather Maddox Bryan Stubbs Heather Shore ## **Honorary Treasurer** Jackie Taylor AAT ## **Staff** Staff work part-time, during term-time only. Volunteer Services Manager: Juliet Ruddick Volunteer Coordinator: Bonnie Stevens Volunteer Support Worker: Mary Randall ## **Office** The Little Keep Barrack Road Dorchester DT1 1SQ 01305 458515 www.dorsetreadingpartners.org.uk ## Review This has been a period of relative stability for the Charity after the disruption caused by the pandemic over the past few years. Volunteer numbers have increased and we continue to see demand for our service from schools across the county. Like all charities we have experienced a rise in costs in recent months, and so we will be making a small increase to the schools’ subscription charges for the next school year. We will also be seeking new funding streams in order to subsidise our service and maintain its affordability. We will continue to invest time and resources into our remarkable team of volunteer reading partners. They are, quite simply, our greatest asset, as the feedback below clearly shows: ## **What Schools Say** “We love having our reading partner as part of the team and the children always enjoy a chat with her (they get so much more than that but they see it as a social too!)” Headteacher, Pimperne Primary School “ Our reading partner has made great relationships with the children and it is a wonderful experience for those that have time out of the class to not only read, but to have rich conversations too.” Class teacher, Milldown Primary School “Our reading partner is amazing - we feel very lucky to have her!” Headteacher, Thorners Primary School “We love working with our reading partners and truly value all the work we do with Dorset Reading Partners. Long may it continue!” Headteacher, Prince of Wales First School “Our reading partner’s professionalism and encouragement are so impressive. The children love coming to her and are so happy to read with her. We are very lucky to have her.” Class teacher, St Catherine’s Primary School “Thank you for all your wonderful Reading Partners who are just brilliant for our children!” Headteacher, Sherborne Primary School ## Annual Accounts ## **DORSET READING PARTNERS** ## **Receipts and Payments to 30th April 2023** |**Receipts**
Contributions from schools
Grants/Donations
Other
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**
Employee costs
Travel Expenses
**Office Costs**
Stationery/Postage
Premises costs
Telephone/Internet/Subscriptions
Equipment/Furniture
**Operational Costs**
Resources
Volunteer expenses
Meetings/Training/Events
Insurance
**Total Payments**
**Net of Receipts/**
**(payments)**|**30th April 2023**


**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**

**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**

**£**
**£**
**£**

8230
0
8230
16443
1200
17643
0
0
0|**30th April 2022**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
4810
0
13103
450
2184
0| |---|---|---| ||24673
1200
25873
18645
0
18645
1135
0
1135
493
0
493
2068
0
2068
864
0
864
30
128
158
185
550
735
804
0
804
829
97
926
189
0
189|20097
450
15665
0
692
0
530
0
1841
0
978
0
356
450
763
0
861
0
788
0
183
0| ||25242
775
26017|22657
450| ||-569
425
-144
|-2560
0| |**Cash funds last Year end**|**13973**
**0**
**13973**
|**16533**
**0**| |**Cash funds at the period end**|**13404**
**425**
**13829**
|**13973**
**0**| ## **Donations & Funding** We are grateful to The Valentine Trust, The Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Foundation, National Education Union (Dorset), The Delamere Foundation, and other generous private donors for their support. ## Activities May 22 - April 23 ## During the year the Charity has: - Recruited and trained sixteen new volunteer reading partners - Started working in four new schools - Delivered in-school Parent Helper and Reading Buddy training sessions - Supported volunteers with regular contact and school visits - Held book exchanges in venues across the county - Hosted informal volunteer coffee mornings in various locations - Organised Phonics, Dyslexia and Using Resources workshops for volunteers - Issued 320 personalised end of year certificates to our supported pupils (July 22 At the end of April 2023, the charity has 80 volunteer reading partners in 58 schools across Dorset, supporting around 350 children. **----- Start of picture text -----**
We play games first before we
It’s fun!”
read, so by the time I look at a
book, I feel nice and relaxed. What children say
about their sessions
That book's 10/10 . . . no it’s
not, it’s 100/100! “I like it because I
can choose
I’ve started reading quicker now
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **What our volunteers say** - “Thank you for all the support you give. It never feels like I’m on my own.” - “My husband says he can tell how much I enjoy _(being a reading partner)_ because my face lights up when I talk about it.” - “I have great fun with my pupils and can’t wait to be entertained each week!” - “I really enjoy helping the children to open up and chat and to encourage them to love reading, especially the reluctant ones!!” - “I think you might be able to tell that I absolutely love being a DRP volunteer.” ## The Year in Pictures 2022 - 2023 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Initial training days
For new recruits
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Coffee mornings
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
for volunteers
Library visit
Book exchanges
Reading Buddy training
for our schools
Our new ambassador Lucy Volpin
Guest speaker at our 2022
AGM
Lovely new resources And again at our Dyslexia
workshop in March 23
thanks to The Delamere Foundation
Long Service awards
for our wonderful volunteers
**----- End of picture text -----**
Sa shH￿rtOn. Bewo Regls. Wareham Dorset BH20 7HU 01929471480 4pI Independent Examlnatlon of the Accounts of Dorset Reading Partners An Independent Examination of the accounts ol the Dorset Readln8 Partners. charity registration No.1116404,forthe financlal year 2022123 was carried out by lan Ventham FCIF under section 145 of the 2011 Act. The examln*ion was condurted in accordance wlth the Dlrettions given by the Charlty Commissi¢Jn. I confirm that I have reviewed the accountln8 records kept by the charity and found thatthe records agree with the Accounts presented in the (harlVs Annual Reportand Accounts. lan R Ventham