Anne Davies from Swansea is retired and helps out at St Joseph's School.

"A friend and I go to St Joseph's School every Tuesday to listen to the children reading. The school needs volunteers because the teachers aren't able to listen to the children as often as they'd like, so they were keen to get some volunteers in.

I know someone who is a paid member of staff and she asked me if I would be interested in helping out. I'm retired and I lost my husband a few years ago, so I do have time on my hands. I think it's important to feel that you are doing something worthwhile and this really is worthwhile.

The children are aged nine and 10 and we listen to them reading one-to-one. It's a very important part of their learning and it's rewarding for us to be able to sit and hear them read two or three pages. We write some comments in their books once they've read to us and sometimes we have a chance to talk to them as well.

I started doing it in October last year and I really look forward to going into the school. I don't know if I'll be with the same children next year, or whether it will be another class, but I really enjoy it. They're all at different levels in their reading and have different abilities, which makes it more varied.

It's interesting for my friend and I because we are both grandmothers and it's nice to keep up with the youngsters. I don't know whether the children look on us as grandmother figures, but we certainly get a lot out of being with them. They tell us little stories about pop concerts or football matches which I suppose we wouldn't normally hear.

They seem to like us coming in. They're funny because if we see them in the corridor they wave to us, which is lovely. I think they benefit from it and it does encourage them to read at home.

Advice
I'm a volunteer for Age Concern two half days a week and going into the school as well is something I would never have thought I'd be doing in my retirement. I would certainly encourage other people in my position to think about doing the same thing.

There are lots of opportunities if people are inclined to look for them and it is very rewarding. I know there are people volunteering in other ways in schools and I do think everyone gets something out of it, because it helps the teachers and the children and it means the person giving their time does something useful too."

Anne, Swansea