Words by Smiley Team
Roland Lewis is a teacher who doesn’t want any child to go without.
The 48-year-old, who is head of house and a maths teacher at Impington Village College, in Cambridge, helped distribute free books and face masks to children during the pandemic – as well as raising thousands of pounds for causes including: Dementia UK and a Parkinson’s charity.
During lockdown, Roland got involved in a free books initiative. “It was a community idea, born from a desire to encourage villagers to read during the national lockdown to improve their mental health,” he says. “We also wanted to encourage children to continue to read, and learn, during a challenging period of home schooling and turbulence.”
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To support the initiative, Roland helped package all of the books, including a message of hope in waterproof bags, before they were distributed around the village. While they circulated the books around the whole village, including the village shop and doctor’s surgery, they took special care to ensure that the people who would benefit the most, such as underprivileged families, had first access to the free books.
The project was made possible by members of the community donating books. “We were lucky to receive plenty of support for our cause,” he says.
It was a hugely important project for Roland, who says reading underpins the core of learning for young people and is fundamental to learning how to interpret and apply content.
“Young people who have difficulty reading will ultimately feel isolated from many areas of life,” he says. “ As a teacher, we see the impact of students neglecting their reading every year. I firmly believe that a student who can read confidently and at pace will become a well-rounded and confident adult.”
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Roland also works with children to focus on their wellbeing. “Education should be holistic, focusing on student wellbeing as well as academic achievement,” he says.
Through work he does with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, supporting expedition planning, and the Scouts organisation, he is able to help young people develop the skills they need to succeed outside of the classroom.
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