On the weekend of 20th/21st March, a team of Westside School staff (Westside Literacy Heroes) will be doing the 5/10k Where's Wally? Weekender run for the National Literacy Trust.

Lacking vital literacy skills holds a person back at every stage of their life. As a child, they won't be able to succeed at school; as a young adult, they will be locked out of the job market; as a parent, they won't be able to support their own child's learning. This inter-generational cycle makes social mobility and a fairer society more difficult. People with low literacy skills may not be able to read a book or newspaper, understand road signs or price labels, make sense of a bus or train timetable, fill out a form, read instructions on medicines or use the internet.

Low levels of literacy undermine the UK's economic competitiveness, costing the tax payer £2.5 billion every year. A third of businesses are not satisfied with young people's literacy skills when they enter the workforce and a similar number have organised remedial training for young recruits to improve their basic skills, including literacy and communication.

The National Literacy Trust work with schools and communities to give disadvantaged children the literacy skills to succeed in life. Therefore, we would be really grateful for any sponsors for this cause! xx