Hi everyone! Thank you for visiting my Justgiving donation page. I am running a 10k with members of PsySoc to raise money for the National Literacy Trust on the 24th of March at Victoria Park. Firstly I would like to give an understanding of why I am running (which I am out of shape for :P) but more pointedly why for this particular charity. As a child I did not have much exposure to books, I was not encouraged to read and mainly sat in front of the TV screen to be kept entertained. I am not angry at anyone for that as that is what most families from my lower social economic class thought was the most praticial and obviously way to keep me occupied. There was not a thought to read and that is what “others” do. However looking back now as I have developed such a huge passion of reading, I feel if a charity like the National Literacy Trust which specialises in getting the values of why reading is so important out to our society especially young children it could have been the spark that could have set my reading passion loose at such a young age.

As I stated above I have become such a adovcate of reading and this occured in the last few years due to a friend offering me a book to read (exposure) and I feel that I have received so many benefits from it. Firstly simply just the enjoyment factor. There is no other platform or medium that you can go like in dream like state with your imagination in a way that transcends all other mediums. For example reading requires active concentration so in order to read, this requires you to focus and think about what you are reading.Visualising and thinking about what the text gives us the wonderful use of imagination! Visualizing youself on a beech vicariously through a character or just reading a great mind's thoughts about physics there is no way this can be replicated in another medium. For example the television, which has its place but you have to passive and dependent on what it presents you. The imagination is not in use in the same way as reading happens. This active mental process would therefore improve concentration and focus which we know is so imperative in education, sport and in the workplace :)

I think also as you read your self-steam increases. I felt this because as I have felt that I have become more knowledgeable I develop more confidence. More confidence would therefore build more self-esteem. Finally it is alarming to think to myself that I could have not been introduced to the world of reading. It changes lives :) Let’s support the National Literacy Trust goal of bringing that change  Please donate for this great cause :)