One in four children leave primary school unable to read to the expected standard, a crisis that threatens their secondary education and future prospects across Oldham.

Chris Dowd, a 70-year-old retired nurse and university senior lecturer, spent six years of his retirement fighting this statistic one child at a time. The Manchester resident discovered Schoolreaders, a national literacy charity that places volunteers in primary schools, through a friend and immediately signed up.

For six years, Dowd walked the mile to his local primary school four days a week, spending an hour each day helping five to eight pupils aged 5-8 improve their reading skills. The commitment required is minimal - volunteers need only spare one hour per week to make a difference.

The moments that made it worthwhile were countless. “A child once proudly explained what an ellipsis is to her teacher after learning it from me,” Dowd recalled. Another boy insisted he didn’t need to read because he planned to repair lawnmowers, until Dowd asked how he’d manage the manuals.

“I’ve always been treated with care and respect by teachers, pupils, and parents alike,” he said, describing his role as feeling like “part of the school family.” His duties expanded beyond reading sessions to accompanying pupils on trips and serving as a SATs invigilator.

On his final day, pupils presented him with a folder of writing and pictures - evidence of relationships built and lives changed. “I saw many changes in children - more confidence, more chattiness, and an emerging sense of humour as they got to know me better,” Dowd noted.

The bittersweet reality was watching children progress beyond needing his help. “I enjoyed the welcome I received every time I popped my head around the classroom door, hearing the pupils exclaim, ‘Miss, Chris is here!’”

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