Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
Coram Beanstalk
Volunteers SchoolsDonate
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Linkedin
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Menu
  • Our story
    • Our work
      • Our approach
      • Our effect
      • Our history
    • Our people
      • Our Patron
      • Our Trustees
      • Our Ambassadors
      • Our Author Supporters
      • Our jobs
  • Join us
    • Become a school partner
    • School enquiry form
    • Become a reading helper volunteer
    • Volunteer enquiry form
    • MyCoramBeanstalk volunteer portal
  • Reading resources
    • What makes a book 'Beanstalk Brilliant'?
    • Book of the month
    • World Book Day books 2022
    • Tips for parents
    • Fun reading activities
    • Children's book reviews
  • Fundraising
    • Donate
    • Support us
    • Company support
    • Our funding
  • News and blogs
    • News
    • Blogs
    • Reading related blogs
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • Our story
  1. Our story
  2. Our work

Our story

Coram Beanstalk was founded by our President Susan Belgrave in 1973. We were originally called Volunteer Reading Help (VRH) before becoming Beanstalk in 2012 in time for our 40th anniversary. In February 2019 we were welcomed to the Coram group of charities and became Coram Beanstalk.

Susan saw a volunteering scheme in action in a Harlem school in New York. Impressed by the results she decided to set up a similar scheme in schools in North Kensington.  

Since then, Coram Beanstalk has gone from strength-to-strength. We have grown from a handful of volunteers to a network of trained reading helpers supporting approximately 10,000 children across England. Since we were founded we have helped over 200,000 children learn to read.


Thanks to our volunteers, Coram Beanstalk is now a respected voice in the children's literacy landscape and is a leading member of campaigns to improve literacy across the UK and Europe.

Here are some of the key moments in our 40+ year history:


        
If you would like to find out how we're adding to our history, then please check out our news section. 



Published: 1st September, 2015

Updated: 19th November, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • As a retired teacher with dyslexia I knew immediately I had to be involved!

    As a retired teacher with dyslexia I knew immediately I had to be involved!

    One of our recently trained reading helpers talks about why she chose to join our Coram Beanstalk reading community...

  • Coram Beanstalk publishes Impact Report for 2021-22

    Coram Beanstalk publishes Impact Report for 2021-22

    After two years of disrupted service in schools, Coram Beanstalk are delighted to publish their latest Impact Report for the year 2021 - 2022. Read stories from across the Coram Beanstalk community of children, schools and volunteers - and see our latest impact statistics.

  • May 2022

    May 2022

    Our #BeanstalkBrilliant book of the month for May is 'Song for a Whale' by Lynne Kelly. This year 2nd - 8th May is Children's Book Week and Deaf Awareness Week so we thought we'd highlight some Beanstalk Brilliant Books featuring characters who may have experienced hearing loss or who wear hearing aids.

  • Win books for your school library!

    Win books for your school library!

    Coram Beanstalk, The Alligator's Mouth Book Shop and The Bright Agency are offering schools the opportunity to win a set of the ten books longlisted for The Alligator’s Mouth Award 2022, which champions both authors and illustrators of highly illustrated children’s fiction. Nominate a UK-based school to win a set of the ten longlisted books for their school library here...

Related

  • Our effect

    Our effect

  • Our impact

  • Our approach

    Our approach

    Find out more about how we work and our approach to reading support.

Most read

  • Become a volunteer reading helper

    Become a volunteer reading helper

    Ready to take the first step to becoming a reading helper? Check you can meet some practicalities and fill in our application form here.

  • Frequently asked questions

    Frequently asked questions

    You may have some questions in your mind before you fill in your application form. Here are answers to our most commonly asked questions. If your question isn't answered here you can find out how to get in touch with our team.

  • The benefits of being a reading helper

    The benefits of being a reading helper

    We know from our volunteers that being a reading helper brings purpose and enjoyment into their lives. Find out more about the benefits of being part of our reading community here.

  • Our approach

    Our approach

    Find out more about how we work and our approach to reading support.

  • Thank you for applying to be a Beanstalk reading helper

  • Literacy charities join forces

    Literacy charities join forces

    On 1st November 2017 Reading Matters merged with the national children’s literacy charity Beanstalk.

  • Story Starters training

    Story Starters training

    Our early years programme offers a unique approach to equipping adults in your setting to help children develop all six crucial pre-reading skills plus the communication, concentration and confidence they need to ‘catch the reading bug’.  Read more about how our unique programme Story Starters can help you ensure that children start their primary education ready to be taught to read.

  • Current vacancies

    Current vacancies

    Click here to view our current vacancies.

  • Volunteer agreement

    Volunteer agreement

    Find out more about how we will do the best we can to make your volunteer experience with us enjoyable and rewarding.

  • Our Trustees

    Our Board of Trustees hold decades worth of high-level experience which they use to govern Coram Beanstalk and direct our strategy.

Latest tweet

Follow our story

Follow us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Linkedin
  • Instagram

Useful links

  • Terms & conditions 
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Compliments and complaints policy
  • Accessibility
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap

Volunteer portal

Click on the button below to log in to our volunteer portal

Volunteer portal

Coram Beanstalk is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Copyright © 2019 Coram Beanstalk. Coram Beanstalk, Coram Campus, 41 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AZ.
Registered Charity No. 296454 (England and Wales).
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No. 2101719.
All images are from Coram Beanstalk’s stock image library and are for representation only.
Names in case studies have been changed to protect identities. All rights reserved.