£2,000 to support HEY Children’s University literacy programme in Grimsby

Photo Natasha Barley, CEO HEY Children’s university and Paul Fursey, General Manager Humber Refinery with members of the refinery’s Humber Heart charity team.

Natasha Barley, CEO of the Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University came to site to meet Paul Fursey and members of the Humber Heart Charity team and be presented with a cheque for £2,000 towards their new literacy programme in NE Lincolnshire.

Natasha explained, “This programme is to support the literacy children in care, some of the children most in need, children whose priority is to survive and because of that education can take a back seat, meaning these children are behind in their education and some unfortunately illiterate.”

Hull Children’s University are a charity that works with children growing up in disadvantaged areas who may not have the same opportunities as others. Many have never been much further than the street in which they live, and some will never visit another city until they reach adulthood, some children don’t have dreams for the future. The Children’s University believes that every child is brilliant at something, but how can those children find out their unique talents if they don’t have the opportunity to try new things.

Natasha added, “This money will go towards the children’s letterbox parcels in Grimsby, a literacy bundle filled with resources to support each individual child’s reading, in conjunction with ongoing one to one support with one of our team helping their literacy journey. Children stay on the programme for up to three years or until they reach expected reading age. If you can’t read your long-term life outcomes are very limited so this programme plays a vital role in children’s future success.”

Paul Fursey, Humber Refinery General Manager, “Its humbling listening to the fantastic work Natasha and her team do and we are proud to be able to support their work through our Humber Heart team which, aligns so well with one of our philanthropic focus areas, Education and Equity. We look forward to working together further in 2023.”

As Albert Einstein famously said, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.”