Saint Alfege Lodge

A £10,000 grant from London Freemasons is set to transform the lives of more than 30 adult learners across the capital by supporting the Adult Literacy Trust (ALT) in its mission to tackle one of the UK’s most entrenched social challenges: adult illiteracy.

ALT works with adults who lack the basic reading skills needed to participate fully in work, education and society. An estimated 8 million adults in the UK – around one in six – can be considered ‘functionally illiterate’, with skills deemed to be no higher than primary school level. The impact can be devastating, contributing to cycles of poverty, low confidence, poor health, and limited life opportunities.

The London Freemasons’ Charity grant will support the recruitment, training, and management of one adult learning cohort of 35 learners, who will receive personalised, one-to-one literacy support from trained volunteers.

For many learners, these volunteers represent the first time someone has been able to dedicate consistent, focused time to helping them understand text, build confidence, and make tangible progress.

Supporting Adults Who Have Been Left Behind

ALT pairs adult learners with Reading Coaches from the local community, volunteers who receive structured training and ongoing support. Unlike crowded classroom settings, these one-to-one sessions are tailored entirely to the needs of each learner, offering a patient, encouraging approach that helps rebuild confidence.

The new funding from London Freemasons will allow ALT to recruit more volunteers from the communities it serves, train them thoroughly, and match them carefully with learners who need ALT’s brand of sustained support. Volunteers will also run small informal group sessions, helping adult learners tackle the kinds of practical literacy tasks many people take for granted: reading letters, checking forms, understanding instructions or navigating everyday documents.

This community-driven model supplements classroom learning, which can be difficult for adults who have had negative or interrupted experiences of formal education.

ALT’s approach recognises that for many learners, literacy is not simply an academic skill; it is the foundation of independence, employability and long-term wellbeing.

A Right, Not a Privilege

ALT was founded on a simple but profound belief: literacy should be a right, not a privilege. Today, its programmes work alongside Further Education Colleges, adult learning institutes, prisons, and community organisations to ensure adults who want to learn are never turned away due to lack of support.

Robert Glick, Chair of the Adult Literacy Trust, said the support from London Freemasons will have a significant impact: “Our charity was founded on the belief that literacy is a right, not a privilege, and we are working to ensure that lifelong learning opportunities are accessible to all, one individual at a time. We rely entirely on the generosity of organisations such as London Freemasons to allow this to happen, and are incredibly grateful for their support. Together, we are convinced we can make a huge difference to the life chances of so many.”

For London Freemasons, supporting ALT is part of a long-standing commitment to tackling social inequality and empowering people through education and opportunity. Paul King, speaking on behalf of the LFC, emphasised the importance of the partnership: “Literacy is something that most of us take for granted and to be able to support ALT in their mission to support and improve literacy within our community is something that we are proud to be able to support.” At its heart, this partnership aims to give adults a second chance – sometimes their first real chance – to read with confidence, achieve their goals, and shape the futures they deserve.

By funding ALT’s volunteer-led model, your money is helping adult learners develop the skills that unlock employment, improve health, strengthen family life and break intergenerational cycles of deprivation. The grant sits alongside London Freemasons’ wider track record of major support for London’s emergency services, healthcare innovation and community resilience projects.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 59 – Christmas 2025.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in Arena Issue 59 here.

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