Specsavers supporting local volunteer reading group, The Doorstep Library Network

Specsavers in Putney, located on 133 Putney High Street will be backing the local charity by hosting a book collection in the lead up to Christmas. The books will be used by the volunteer readers when they visit the homes of families in low-income areas to read to children and encourage parents to play an active role in their children’s education.

Heanal Patel, store director of Specsavers in Putney says: ‘We’ll be running the book drive in store throughout October and November and would like to invite the local community to drop by any children’s books they would like to donate. With the obvious association of reading and eyecare, our team thought it fitting to also offer complimentary eye tests and eyecare discounts to The Doorstep Library’s thirty volunteer readers. It will also provide us with a great opportunity to meet the people who generously donate their time to the charity.’

Emily Oliver of The Doorstep Library Network says: ‘Many thanks to Specsavers for their support. We are always looking for Home-Reading Volunteers as well as help with fundraising, promotion and more. If you are interested please get in touch via our website.’

The Doorstep Library Network encourages disadvantaged children to develop a love of reading by recruiting Home-ReadingVolunteers to visit them in their homes,read stories and lend them books. The charity believes that reading is particularly important to a child’s educational career as in the UK 70% of pupils permanently excluded school have difficulties with basic literacy skills.1 The charity’s work aims to target the 14% of children in lower income homes who rarely or never read books for pleasure.2

To find out more about The Doorstep Library visit www.doorsteplibrary.org.uk

To donate books or arrange an eye examination, visit Specsavers Putney at 133 Putney High Street, SW15 1SU, call 020 8788 7600 or visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/Putney

October 11, 2013