Family Cookery with Rt. Hon Rachel Reeves
Earlier this month we had the privilege of hosting the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey, Rachel Reeves, at a showcase of the work we do to empower families.
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March 25th -
Earlier this month BBC Look North reported on the vital work we do with families still affected by Covid.
This March marked five years since the onset of a pandemic that changed lives for so many, particularly those experiencing deprivation and social isolation.
BBC Look North spent time with one of our Story Tellers groups in south Leeds, and at our new pre-school initiative “Play Pals” to find out how we are supporting the many families who are still experiencing the devastating impacts of Covid.
Story Tellers is all about helping children develop a lifelong love of reading. Children who read regularly are more likely to be happier, healthier, do better at school, develop a strong sense of empathy and overcome socio-economic disadvantages caused by inequalities.
As our Literacy Lead, Bekah Atkins, said in the report, many families struggled to find the time and resources to embed a culture of regular reading at home during the pandemic, and these children now need extra support in their reading journeys. Story Tellers provides this vital support. 100% of families we worked with this year said that Story Tellers had helped them read more as a family at home.
Play Pals is about giving children opportunities to play, develop and be ready for school.
When visiting Play Pals, the BBC reported that many children born during the pandemic did not have the opportunity to socialise and play. One parent attending the group said that Play Pals meant they could make up for “lost time” caused by social isolation and lack of opportunity during the lockdown.
As the report stated, Play Pals is about providing positive opportunities for children to play, develop and be ready for school. Play is vital for language acquisition, social interaction and the development of problem solving and creative thinking. Our groups are designed to help empower parents to provide play opportunities so their little ones get to experience all the positive outcomes of play.
As our CEO, Kate Colbrook, stated in the report, the pandemic didn’t just expose inequality—it deepened it. Through Story Tellers, Play Pals, and our other vital initiatives, we’re tackling this gap head-on, changing lives and transforming futures—one family at a time.
See the full BBC Look North report below.
Earlier this month we had the privilege of hosting the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey, Rachel Reeves, at a showcase of the work we do to empower families.
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