However busy you are, read to your children, says PM

10 April 2012

David Cameron today urged London parents to read to their children every night no matter how busy they are.

The Prime Minister appealed to every mother and father to teach their children to love books as he visited a school adopted by the Standard's unique Get London Reading campaign.

"I try to read to my children a couple of nights a week," he said. "I think that however busy you are in life, you should always try to read to your children." Mr Cameron astonished parents and pupils at St Mary's primary in Battersea when he arrived for a surprise visit to open a new library sponsored by the Evening Standard.

He paid tribute to the army of reading volunteers who are transforming children's lives, saying: "I want to thank the volunteers. These are people who have busy lives, other jobs, and lots of things they want to do, but they are passionate about reading and they come into schools to help."

He praised the Standard for the "huge amount done" to promote literacy in London, and our partners, the charity Volunteer Reading Help, for their "brilliant" work in delivering "such a simple idea".

St Mary's is a struggling school where pupils speak 27 languages. Until last year it had no library and half the pupils were failing.
Jared Brading was appointed their sixth headteacher in six years in September and called in the Standard to help raise literacy levels by deploying our one-on-one reading volunteers.

Also visiting the school for the first time was Kostyantin Zhevago, the Ukrainian billionaire whose £100,000 donation is funding the 85 reading volunteers over three years for St Mary's. He said: "I am thrilled that this incredible project which has only just begun is already bearing fruit for the kids."

Evening Standard editor Geordie Greig said: "It is great to see the spirits of the children, parents and teachers lifted."

Volunteer and help today

You can also donate by text. Just text DONATE to 70300 to give £10 to Volunteer Reading Help. The full amount goes to the fund and you can make as many £10 donations as you want.

Terms & Conditions: 100 per cent of your donation will go to Volunteer Reading Help (Registered Charity No. 296454). When you text, you will receive two messages. Each message is charged at £5 costing a total of £10 plus your standard network rate.

There will be a 15-minute delay between the two messages. Service Provider: Vir2 Ltd: support@vir2.co.uk or 08450 947 958

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