Stop Hunger Report 2025 - Flipbook - Page 25
Stop Hunger
Annual Report 2025
25
Spotlight on... empowering the unstoppable spirit of younger generations
In the UK, 1 in 8 children who receive free
school meals (FSMs) don’t have a book of
their own. Chapter One transforms children’s
futures through one-to-one reading support.
By helping as many children as possible
to read to expected standards, it helps
to improve educational and employment
outcomes from an early age.
Our collaboration began in 2021 with just 10
Sodexo volunteers, and our relationship has
continued to thrive, thanks to the dedication of
our colleagues.
Our journey together
•
We now have a structured programme with
more than 130 volunteers dedicating 30
minutes per week through the academic
year.
•
In 2025, we expanded our e昀昀orts with
a nationwide book drive, collecting and
donating over 2,250 books to schools that
lack the resources to stock their libraries.
•
We supported the launch of a pilot ‘book
club’ initiative aimed at older children,
helping them to access the joy of reading
and build their con昀椀dence. This has been
reviewed by the Open University, with early
results demonstrating a positive impact on
young readers’ engagement and literacy.
Charlie is now a really con昀椀dent reader.
Even when he doesn’t get the words right
on the 昀椀rst try, he keeps going until he can
read the sentence — which is fantastic.
We’ve gone from having a child who would
cry when I asked him to read a few pages
to one who enjoys picking out a book and
reading it to me and his brother.”
Parent of a Chapter One pupil supported
by a Sodexo volunteer
The 昀氀uency in Charlie’s reading has been
the biggest improvement, de昀椀nitely!
Where he used to come to a grinding
halt at unfamiliar words, now he tackles
assessments independently and keeps
going, even with challenging vocabulary.
The impact is just plain to see. Reading
with di昀昀erent people, reading di昀昀erent
stories — how can it not help them?”
Charlie’s teacher
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