ARCh is a charity which aids disadvantaged children throughout Oxfordshire with the aim of developing their literacy skills. Working in 100 schools with 260 volunteers, the charity has a huge influence on the surrounding community. They recruit, train and support volunteers from the community and some businesses to give one-to-one support to children between the ages of six to 11. Volunteers visit the same three children twice a week for a whole year and read with them for half an hour at a time, equating to a total of up to 39 hours of individual reading support for the children who need it most across the year. This charity enables hundreds of children to boost their self-confidence and discover a love for reading.
Cala Homes, which is building homes at Kingsmere in Bicester, launched the Cala Community Bursary in Oxfordshire earlier this year and invited organisations, charities and groups in the area to apply for a share of £15,000 to help fund projects that make a difference in the community. ARCh was chosen as a recipient of the bursary, with money going towards their robust recruitment and training programme to support volunteers, ensuring that they are fully equipped to help children who find reading a struggle.
Elaine Adams, Development Manager at ARCh, said: “I am thrilled that ARCh has received this funding from Cala Homes. We’ve been growing our charity since 2008, and since then, we’ve had an immense impact on the local community. Thanks to Cala Homes, we can continue to expand and help more disadvantaged children and widen their opportunities.
“Our ultimate aim is to improve children’s basic literacy skills, self-confidence and ability to communicate in order to improve their long term prospects, divert them from social exclusion and anti-social and criminal behaviour.”
Mark Wright, Managing Director at Cala Homes (Midlands), said: “Cala has always been committed to making a positive and lasting contribution to the local communities in which it builds and the Community Bursary scheme has given us the opportunity to discover exactly what support is required locally. We’re delighted to be supporting ARCh and I look forward to seeing how the funding will help to boost the confidence of children across Oxfordshire. We hope the charity can continue to open a world of opportunities through their inspirational work and bring back a love of reading into children’s hearts.”
This year, the Community Bursary scheme has awarded a total of £109,000 to 117 good causes across the UK. A further 200 causes have previously benefited from the scheme, with over £200,000 awarded to various initiatives since 2017.
Launching in September, Cala at Kingsmere comprises of an outstanding collection of two, three and four bedroom homes and two bedroom apartments designed with light and spacious interiors and low-maintenance living in mind. The development is part of a wider new community with Kingsmere also being home to a multitude of new facilities, including a community centre, convenience store, primary school and a sports village to name a few. What’s more, the Kingsmere Retail Park will soon be launching, providing high street brands such as Next, Costa Coffee and M&S Simply Food. The site is located two miles from the centre of Bicester and just one mile from popular designer shopping outlet, Bicester Village, so amenities at Kingsmere are never far away.
For further information on Assisted Reading for Children (ARCh), visit https://archoxfordshire.org.uk/
For further information on Cala Homes and its Kingsmere development, visit https://www.cala.co.uk/homes-for-sale/midlands/cala-at-kingsmere
