Six Book Challenge adult literacy drive participants honoured at Rugby League World Cup final

Rugby League and reading: a proven winning partnership 

Six Book Challenge adult literacy drive participants honoured at Rugby League World Cup final

A Rugby League fan who has recently discovered the life-changing power of reading thanks to The Reading Agency’s Six Book Challenge adult literacy programme was rewarded with an extra-special trip to the Rugby League World Cup (RLWC2013) final between New Zealand and Australia at Old Trafford on 30 November.

Chris Underwood, from Wigan, stepped out on to the pitch at Old Trafford at half-time to receive his special Six Book Challenge completer's certificate from England international and Leeds Rhinos star Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who is a Six Book Challenge ambassador.

Jamie Jones-Buchanan said: "It's been an honour to be associated with this project. I know first-hand that it has had an extremely positive effect on the literacy and lives of hundreds of adults and young people, and I'm pleased to have played just a small part in the process."

The special presentation ceremony served as a final celebration for the year-long partnership between The Reading Agency and RLWC2013 to deliver the Six Book Challenge and encourage less confident readers in areas typically populated by Rugby League fans.

The Six Book Challenge invites adult literacy learners and less confident readers to read six books and record their progress in a diary in order to receive a certificate. It is being increasingly recognised as a key intervention using reading for pleasure to help tackle this country's continuing skills deficit. Key partners in bringing the Six Book Challenge to Rugby League fans, using specially branded materials, have been public library services, workplaces and trade unions.

Chris Underwood, 45, was one of several Six Book Challenge completers whose reading achievements were rewarded with a ticket for the RLWC2013 final. A father of two girls, he is a stock clerk at Sainsbury's Distribution Centre at Haydock on Merseyside where he has worked for 17 years.

The Six Book Challenge was undertaken by 173 employees at the site with the support of Usdaw and Unite union learning reps. Usdaw rep Kevin Callow, who was also at the Old Trafford final, said: "The Six Book Challenge Rugby League theme was a great selling-point with so many people from Wigan and St Helens which have big Rugby League backgrounds. It's definitely opened the door to other things and got them into the learning centre."