More than two dozen support staff and teachers at Farnborough Academy have collected certificates for completing the Reading Ahead challenge at the Nottingham academy.

This UNISON initiative involved participants committing to read and review six books, poems, magazines or website articles of their choice over the course of the challenge.

An estimated one in six people struggles to read. However, research shows that when people are inspired to read for pleasure they benefit from far greater opportunities in everyday life, education and employment. Reading Ahead, formerly called the Six Book Challenge, is seen as a gateway to accessing these opportunities.

A Kickstart grant from UNISONs Learning and Organising Services covered the costs of three events and some books for participants, including Quick Reads and Penguin Classics.

UNISON Area Organiser Brian Crosby worked closely with school librarian Toni Slee and UNISON member Vanessa Goddard to run the challenge at the school.

Brian said:

Reading Ahead has given 26 members of staff at the school the chance to take part in a UNISON initiative.”

We raised awareness of other learning opportunities our union can offer in the region and improved our working relationship with the Academy, which might open the door to run the initiative in other schools in the Trent Academies Trust.”

Reading Ahead is run by the Reading Agency and for more details on how to get your workplace involved go to their website.