Special bus tour to encourage literacy levels across Swindon

Special bus tour to encourage literacy levels across Swindon

Go-Ahead Group owned Thamesdown has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust and Swindon Borough Council to encourage young people across the town to read and write more.

Swindon’s bus company operated a special book tour to help launch a National Literacy Trust Hub, known locally as Swindon Stories.

“This an important initiative - helping to tackle low literacy levels that have a serious impact on people’s lives - so we are thrilled to be involved,” said Thamesdown general manager, Alex Chutter.

“Swindon Stories, funded by WHSmith, is designed to encourage the whole town to make reading, writing and talking a priority. We celebrated the launch of this new hub by taking a literacy-themed bus on a tour of local schools. It was great to meet pupils  at each stop. They had the opportunity to enjoy a spoken word performance from local musician and hip hop artist A J Mayhew, as well as making use of our on-board social seating to have a good read of some books.

“As Swindon’s Bus Company, our team considers itself very much a part of the local community - and we’re always on the look-out for clubs, schools and charities to support. Swindon Stories is the perfect example of the council, organisations and businesses coming together in partnership, making a real difference to the lives of young people across the town.”

Jonathan Douglas, National Literacy Trust director, added: We are delighted to be working in Swindon, a town with such rich literary and cultural heritage, to make literacy a priority. We are looking forward to building innovative partnerships with local businesses, libraries, schools and other organisations, and taking our evidence-based programmes into local schools. Together we can inspire change through words and ensure that every young person in Swindon has the literacy skills they need to success in life.”