Heidelberg Materials UK is a Chapter One Gold Partner. Their 55 volunteers have provided 480 hours of one-to-one reading support to Chapter One children this year.

We spoke to Eliane Pepper, Fleet Operations and Crewing Administrator and Louisa Middleton, Major Projects Coordinator to find out about their experiences of volunteering with Chapter One.

Heidelberg Materials UK recently won the Volunteer Growth Award 2023-24 at our Partner, Volunteer and School Recognition Awards, growing their commitment to Chapter One by a fantastic 663% - from 8 to 61 volunteers - supporting children all over the country. Well done Heidelberg Materials UK!

What motivated you to begin volunteer reading with Chapter One?

Eliane: I have always volunteered with various charities over the years and saw this highlighted with Heidelberg Materials UK and thought Chapter One sounded like a brilliant charity! Supporting my pupil is really important to me - like my pupil, English is also my second language so I’m more than happy to help.

Louisa: When Heidelberg became a Chapter One partner a few years ago, they asked who wanted to volunteer and I put myself forward - I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I knew that I would be reading with a child, but I didn’t know much more than that, to be honest. But I was intrigued and thought I'd like to help. Now I’m in my second year of being a volunteer and I’m loving it.

What are the benefits of being a Chapter One volunteer?

Eliane: For me, personally, it makes my day to have a call with a cheeky pupil at the end of a phone who so desperately wants to play games and win every time. He seems to really enjoy the one-to-one experience and so do I. It is such a cheerful initiative! When I am reading with my pupil, work stress melts away so it’s beneficial for both of us. 30 minutes a week is the perfect amount of time to do some flashcards, read a story and finish a game.

I have also used the experience and all the training given by the wonderful Chapter One team to go in person once a month to a local primary school and help more young children with their reading.

Louisa: For me, personally, there’s the satisfaction that you're helping a child to develop their reading, you get to do your bit. You get to help the children out there that don't get the chance to read as much as they should. It’s a really nice feeling.

How have you found building up a relationship with your pupil?

Eliane: He was shy at first but now he is more confident and his reading is improving all the time. He is funny when we play games on the Chapter One platform and he’s quite cheeky too.

He has definitely improved in confidence with his reading. He is no longer hesitant to start a story. To start with he was finding excuses (such as saying he needed a drink) to do less of the reading and a lot more of the games and now we have balanced this to be around half and half. He has definitely gotten chattier with me.

Louisa: My pupil is such a sweetie. She really does make me laugh with the things she comes out with. I’ve really seen her become more comfortable with me - she’s not afraid to say, “Right, I'm going now because I've got PE,” or “I want to finish, I'm too tired.” But I can tell she really enjoys the sessions. I'm kind of led by her about what she wants to do because she knows what she wants - she's quite confident so it’s great.

What aspects of the Chapter One Online Reading Volunteers Programme have been most beneficial to this pupil?

Eliane: I think that having the one-to-one reading experience in an otherwise very busy classroom environment has been very beneficial for my pupil. I have also noticed that the flashcards and stories have really helped his reading fluency.

Louisa: All of it! Obviously, my pupil loves the games, and so initially she was a bit less willing to read the stories but after a while it was absolutely fine. She has become very good at phonics in particular, sounding the words out, so now her phonics are now absolutely amazing. She does get stuck occasionally, but she's doing well.

I have noticed that the mood she’s in impacts what she wants to do in our reading session - it depends what she feels like, what day she’s had, what's around her in the classroom. So I tailor the sessions depending on how she’s feeling.

What standout moments have there been when reading with your child?

Eliane: The best bit for me this year has been the Zoom Meet & Greet. It was great to put a face to the lovely cheeky voice I hear each week. I loved meeting him, his teacher and his classmates on Zoom - what a noisy classroom!

Louisa: All of my sessions are so great, so they all stand out to me. I think all companies should get involved - these children we are reading with are our next generation of workers. The programme is just brilliant, and it can only be a positive for the children we read with as they get to read and enjoy reading more. It’s been such a fantastic experience - for me as a volunteer, for my pupil, and for the school. I think having that 1:1 support on a regular basis should be a standard thing.

How can companies get involved in Chapter One?

Chapter One’s virtual, time-efficient, flexible model for volunteering will enhance your company’s employee value proposition, whilst fulfilling CSR or social value commitments around education, social mobility and inclusion. Employees can:

- volunteer online directly from their desks with no travel

- make a direct impact on the lives of children from disadvantaged communities

- support local communities across the UK

- improve their own well-being by helping others

- reconnect with your company’s social purpose

If you’re interested in joining us, we’d love to hear from you! You’ll find out who we currently work with on our partners’ page. You can contact us here or email sarah.taylor@chapterone.org.