'A welcoming and calming atmosphere'

In the summer of 2025, L2L2R ran its summer reading club for a third year. Run in conjunction with St Michael’s Church in Southfields, L2L2R held a stay and play session each Wednesday morning in August for children aged 0-11 and their parents and carers.

Reading, craft and play activities were based on a different theme each week, with staff and trained volunteers on hand to support and read with the children and their families. After a story and song time at the end of each session, children were encouraged to choose a lightly used book every week which they could take home and keep. Families could also stay for a hot lunch as part of St Michael’s Church community lunch initiative if they wished.

Former L2L2R reading support and summer reading club volunteer, H, attended the sessions with his two children, R (age 4) and J (age 5) both of whom are neurodivergent. He comments: “The summer L2L2R sessions are always extremely welcoming.”
He feels that although his children have very different likes and needs, the “welcoming and calming atmosphere” meant both enjoyed their time at the sessions and were fully engaged in all the activities.

H also appreciates the variety of activities on offer and feels that, “there was a perfect balance of child led activities and adult led engagement.”

While he thinks the sessions helped the children enjoy reading and books a little more, he particularly enjoyed watching R build the confidence to explore and interact with other children and adults. He also found it interesting to see the process from a parent’s point of view, not just as a volunteer as he had in previous years. “It’s great - and keep doing what you do best!”