Okehampton’s ReadEasy group has reported this week that the number of students has continued to grow since the literacy group was set up in the town.

The Okehampton branch of the national ReadEasy charity which teaches adults to read and write, was set up by local man Richard Clear in May this year, has steadily been growing and now caters for seven students.

Frances Girling, Okehampton’s ReadEasy co-ordinator said: ‘It’s filtering through. We have we’ve had some readers from Learn Devon and we’ve had somebody from the probation service and social prescribers. Lots of them have mental health issues as well.

‘A lot of our readers are in their 50s or late 40s so there seems to have been a blip in the system. It’d be really interesting to see if we get any younger ones that are in their 20s to 30s, though I think they’re less likely to come forward.’

One of the difficulties that the small team has faced is finding ways to reach their target audience who will not be ablr learn about the service through the written form.

Instead, Mr Clear has spent many hours informing residents of ReadEasy’s work through word of mouth and informing those who may know of a friend or relative who struggles to read.

Mr Clear set up the Okehampton ReadEasy group after he discovered that a ‘surprising’ number of people across the UK struggled to read and write fluently.

Mr Clear is in Okehampton Library every first Tuesday of the month between 10am and 12pm if anyone needs help.