Yes, you are correct - I have well and truly lost that one final remaining marble! Just to be certain I have not only signed up to do this ABSEIL malarkey, but have also convinced others to join in, so there is absolutely no backing out now!

It's a good job that it is for such a cause! After 20+ years of working with children and families, I am only too aware of the impact that low literacy levels have on future outcomes and aspirations and that is why I am so proud to be working and fundraising for National Literacy Trust.

We know that poverty and low literacy go hand-in-hand.

Children who are growing up with the stress of not having enough food and living in cold and damp housing, are not well equipped to develop strong literacy skills. Through our work, we aim to target the communities where there are a high number of economically disadvantaged families, giving them free access to resources and support to help them boost their children's literacy skills.

It is vital that we act now to give this generation of children a positive future.

Please support me in sacrificing that final marble to raise vital funds for the work that the National Literacy Trust are doing across the Country.

£7 could give a child the chance to go to a fun event in their community to discover the magic of books and nursery rhymes.

£10 could enable three families from disadvantaged communities to attend motivational reading events, inspiring them to read for pleasure and giving them the tools to support their children’s literacy skills at home.

£15 enables us to give books to children in deprived areas of the UK, where 1 in 8 children don’t have a book of their own.

£20 could give a child access to inspiring activity booklets and school programmes that will help them develop the literacy skills they need to thrive at school.

£30 could provide a child with their first 5 books, setting the foundations with a love for stories and supporting their early literacy development.

£50 helps train a volunteer to work with parents with low literacy levels and give them the skills to help develop their child’s literacy and communication skills.

Any contributions will be very, very gratefully received.

Thanks so so much,

Holly x