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European law firm Fieldfisher has strengthened its commitment to supporting children's reading skills by partnering with literacy charity, Chapter One, as part of its community volunteering programme. The collaboration, which began in Manchester, is now expanding into Birmingham, bringing essential reading support to local schools.
As part of Chapter One’s Volunteers Programme, Fieldfisher employees are providing weekly online reading sessions to 5- to 8-year-olds in Birmingham and Solihull. This initiative addresses the significant literacy needs in the area, where 48% of children are living in poverty, and half of the city’s wards rank in the top 10% of literacy need in England.
The partnership began in Manchester, where eight volunteers supported 11 children with weekly reading sessions, resulting in an average improvement of two reading levels. In Birmingham, this programme will provide ongoing literacy support for the entire school year, aiming to reach even more children.
Over 190 corporate volunteers, including Fieldfisher staff, are involved in the Birmingham programme, using Chapter One’s online platform to deliver one-to-one reading sessions. This initiative also marks Fieldfisher’s continued support of Chapter One’s mission to tackle the literacy gap and ensure that no child slips through the cracks.
Emma Bell, Chapter One CEO, commented: “Chapter One’s expansion into Birmingham will enable us to transform more children's futures with one-to-one reading support at the time they need it most, inspiring a love for reading from an early age and helping to build confidence in children who might otherwise slip through the cracks. We look forward to expanding our programme across the West Midlands over the next few years, allowing more children to fulfil their potential.”
Millie Hawes, Head of Just Purpose at Fieldfisher, added: “Promoting the rights of children and young people is a key strategic pillar of our Just Purpose impact programme and we are thrilled to be one of the founding partners of Chapter One’s work in Birmingham. This initiative enables our volunteers to support Chapter One to make a difference in the lives of children who might otherwise be unable to receive the dedicated support they need, helping foster a love of reading and build confidence."
David Kaluwahandi, Senior Associate and lead for the Birmingham partnership, added: “We look forward to seeing the impact this initiative will have in Birmingham. Volunteering through Chapter One allows us not only to help children improve their reading skills but also cultivate a sense of community. It’s hugely rewarding to be part of something that strengthens both their education and self-esteem.”
In addition to its work with Chapter One, Fieldfisher’s community volunteering efforts include the Time to Read scheme in Belfast, where volunteers dedicated an impressive 112 hours of reading with pupils during the 2023-24 academic year. The Time to Read scheme with Business in the Community, will continue for its second year in 2024/25.