Story

“R2L2 provides resources to improve disadvantaged children’s literacy skills today, to enable, empower and encourage them to be leaders of tomorrow.”

We believe that every child has the potential to fly. To be a doctor, an astronaut, an engineer, a scientist or a writer, to lead in their chosen field, be an entrepreneur or even be a world leader!

We also believe that every child should have access to resources to enable them to be the best they can be, and that starts with reading!

Having access to books at an early age not only helps with their literacy skills but helps build confidence at school, in social situations and later in life when expressing themselves or applying for a job. Reading challenges their perspective and encourages creativity, and our aim is to help facilitate that by providing resources to barber shops and hair salons to encourage reading between parent and child, and also to create a sustainable environment for reading and self expression in book clubs across the country, remotely or face to face.

R2L2 provides a book service to barber shops and hair salons in cities, towns and disadvantaged areas, and also facilitates book clubs with small groups of children/young people in those areas.

Our Books4Barbers service establishes partnerships with barber shops and hair salons whereby we provide 10 or more books held in a visually appealing book case to suit children in the following age brackets; under 5’s, 5-7’s, 7-10’s and pre-teens. These books would be changed every three months in order to give children the opportunity to read something new and exciting. In the future we aim to provide e-readers to our partners for those young people more technologically inclined, however still encouraging them to read and improve their literacy skills. Our volunteers will pay regular visits to our partner barber shops and salons to deliver books, change any suffering from wear and tear and assist as and when necessary.

R2L2 BookClub is designed for small groups of young people to interact and discuss their opinions on a particular book. Groups of around 7-10 young people will meet and be provided a copy of a novel to go home with and read a chapter or two before meeting again to discuss what they have read and express their thoughts and expectations. BookClub meetings will be every two weeks or so depending on what the group decides, and will be hosted by one of our volunteers at a central location or community hub. Young people involved will be encouraged to challenge, ask questions, read aloud and express themselves creatively and positively.

We aim to equip 50 barber shops with a dedicated book shelf with reading material for under 5’s, 5-7’s, 7-10’s and pre-teens in our first year, and establish at least 5 book clubs in different areas for children that may not have access to books at home.

It will cost £80 per location to equip them with a book shelf, books, window stickers and poster; for each £10 donation this will get us two books and a window sticker! A donation of £25 will get us three books, a poster and a window sticker! A £50 donation will go towards a book shelf and five books!

R2L2 is very excited to be a member of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the body that champions the voluntary sector and volunteering in the UK. By joining NCVO, we can connect with fellow voluntary organisations, develop our people and ensure that we are running our organisation to the best of our ability!

If you’d like more information on our mission or to get involved please contact us!