The Telegraph & Argus is throwing its weight behind a literacy campaign to improve reading standards in Bradford secondary schools.

The newspaper has joined forces with charity Reading Matters for Life to encourage people to help teenagers who desperately need better reading skills.

Reading Matters for Life recruits volunteers to work on a one-to-one basis with youngsters and is already working in partnership with a number of Bradford schools, including those in the Bradford South Education Action Zone.

Results from other areas of the country where Reading Matters for Life has already worked show that after working with volunteers for just ten weeks, an average pupil can improve their reading age by one year.

The project also helps to build pupils' confidence and self esteem.

National figures show that one in three pupils between the ages of 11 and 14 are failing to achieve expected standards in literacy - and the figures for Bradford are even lower.

Today, the charity's project manager for Bradford, Dr Lorraine Barrass, and T&A Editor Perry Austin-Clarke urged people to volunteer for the scheme.

Dr Barrass said helping children with literacy problems was of prime importance.

"If children are unable to read at an acceptable level then they start to struggle with all sorts of activities. English affects the whole of every subject and if children nowadays want to send a text message or an e-mail then they have to be able to read and write."

Mr Austin-Clarke said: "It is well documented that literacy standards in Bradford fall below the national average and we know that parents and teachers in the district want to see that situation improve.

"The ability to read and read well can influence a child for the rest of his or her life and projects like Reading Matters for Life have an important role to play in equipping children with vital skills.

"The T&A is happy to back a scheme which could help make a real difference to so many people and we would urge our readers to consider putting themselves forward as volunteers."

Reading Matters for Life was set up four years ago in Leeds by director Sarah Willis, pictured with Dr Barrass, and has been working in Bradford since September.