Staff

After a career in finance, and starting a family, I finally found what I felt was the perfect role in 2003, supporting volunteers for a national charity Volunteer Reading Help (VRH).

I have always been an avid reader and thoroughly enjoyed sharing books with my own children, both of whom could read independently before the age of 5. Volunteering in their school had opened my eyes to the fact that not every child gets a good start to reading.

When VRH closed operations in Oxfordshire in 2008 there was no question that the service should continue, hence ARCh was born! We will be eternally grateful for all the support received from volunteers, trustees and donors who helped us set up the charity and who have played their part in its great success. I have learnt so much about running a charity during my ARCh journey and continue to learn all the time from all our amazingly skilled reading helpers who make a real difference to children’s lives.

It is an enormous privilege to be involved with the charity.

With a varied career including running a business services company, being Provincial secretary for the local convent and administrator for a farming business I finally found my niche when I answered an ad for a fieldworker for a national reading charity Volunteer Reading Help in 2001.

This led onto my beginnings with ARCh in 2008 when, along with Jane and encouragement from local politicians and business people, we were encouraged to start a local reading charity supporting children in Oxfordshire. After a crash course in running a charity, completing NOCN Management Development Training Programme I began the best part of my life – Assisted Reading for Children. Since that time I have attended the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, met High Sheriffs, Lord Lieutenants and spoken at the World Literacy Conference and feel proud that, thanks to ARCh, I have made a small difference to my local community.

Hi everyone, my name is Amanda and I’ve just started my new role as the Administration Assistant. I have come from a banking and a business/management background. I was a military child and moved around every two years growing up. I have two children (ages 7 and 11) and reading has always been crucial part of their home and school lives. We have read so many wonderful books together. I love baking with my children and all things Disney! I am allergic to apple including Airbourne (the smell), which has been a tricky allergy to navigate. I love the work ARCh do, the positive impact on children, schools, and staff. I am so excited to start a career here in ARCh, with all the amazing work everyone does, I am so proud to be a part of the team.

I am absolutely thrilled to have joined the team at ARCh. With 12 years of
experience as a primary school teacher, I have developed a passion for fostering a love of learning in children. In 2017, I moved to Oxfordshire, where I had the privilege of teaching for seven years. It was at this school that I witnessed the impact of ARCh Reading Helpers and saw firsthand the difference they make in the lives of children. When I saw the advertisement for a Field Worker in Oxford, I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of this brilliant charity. I live in Cowley, Oxford with my husband and three children. My eldest daughter attends the local school, and as a family, we’re passionate about participating in local events and supporting our wonderful community. One of my greatest joys is reading with my
children and watching their imaginations and confidence grow. I am excited to work alongside volunteers in local schools to help children build both their confidence and enjoyment in reading.

Due to family commitments in 2023 I had to stand down as a Fieldworker for ARCh.  However, my passion for the work we do, inspiring children with a love of reading, is as strong as it has ever been.  I therefore continue to work for ARCh as a part time voluntary and sometimes freelancing member of staff, to help the team raise the charity’s profile as part of a concerted drive to recruit more volunteers as well as to engage with more local businesses and attract further funding

Cathy comes to ARCh after a varied career. She originally trained as a dancer, but since moving to Oxford, she has worked for 2 local management consultancies as a project manager and PA, and more recently she taught baby and toddler classes for BabyCollege Ltd.

Cathy has been volunteering on and off in primary schools for the last 10 years, (including with ARCh), alongside looking after her 3 young boys, whom she loves reading with.

Before joining ARCh, I worked as a solicitor for 14 years. I then had a break from working to start a family and during that time thoroughly enjoyed three small volunteering positions. I am so pleased to have joined ARCh and to be part of the fantastic work they do. Reading and books have always been so important to me and I look forward to helping the wonderful reading helpers inspire local children to enjoy and benefit from books.

In my role as a primary school teacher in the local area, I have seen the work of ARCh in practice  and understand how important the visits of the dedicated volunteers are to the children they support. After over 20 years in the classroom, I decided to change my career path but continue to fulfil my passion for imbuing children with a love of learning, and the confidence to try new things, hence my involvement with ARCh!

Having spent 20 years working as a Housing Officer for a variety of Housing Associations, I decided I wanted a better work life balance and that I could use my skills in other arears.

Using the experience and knowledge that I gained from achieving a PGCE in Primary Education in 2007 I recently worked as a volunteer in a primary school helping children to read and improving their confidence. I really enjoyed helping the children read and seeing the progress they made. This led to me applying to be a Field Worker, a role that I am really keen and excited to do!

I am an avid cyclist covering 12000 miles per year and enjoy both training and racing and especially the time spent outdoors enjoying the countryside. When I’m not on my bike I play percussion and perform with local orchestras across the county.