Yesterday, educators, community organisations, volunteers and partners from across Redcar and beyond came together for the Redcar Literacy Summit.
Hosted by RCVDA in Redcar and Cleveland College, the summit brought together elected representatives, voluntary and community organisations, educators and cultural partners with a shared aim: to strengthen literacy across all ages and stages of life.
Attendees got to experience engaging keynote speakers, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and opportunities to network and speak to others who were also committed to reducing the barriers that poor literacy can create.
Our Speakers
The day opened with a welcome from Peter Neal, CEO of RCVDA, followed by keynote contributions from Anna Turley MP (Redcar) and Luke Myer MP (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland).
Both speakers emphasised the far-reaching impact of literacy on opportunity, wellbeing and community resilience, and the importance of tackling the issue collaboratively rather than in isolation.
A panel discussion followed, featuring voices from across the voluntary, education and public sectors, including Aimey Adamson, Jason Faulkner, Jessie Kelly-Baxter, Helen Howson, Katrina Morley OBE, and Luke Myer MP.
The discussion reinforced how literacy underpins access to services, employment and civic life — and how small barriers can have significant consequences.
Understanding The Local Challenge
A key part of the summit was grounding discussion in local data.
Attendees were presented with a stark picture of literacy in Redcar and Cleveland:
- An estimated 45.73% of adults are considered functionally illiterate — meaning they struggle with reading, writing and comprehension at a level required for everyday life and work.
- This equates to over 51,000 adults across the borough.
- By contrast, 44.89% of adults are considered functionally literate, highlighting a near-even divide in literacy capability.
These figures gave important context to the day’s conversations, reinforcing why literacy must be seen as a whole-system issue, not one confined to formal education.
Literacy, Place and Lived Experience
One of the most memorable sessions came from Carmen Marcus, whose presentation, Between the Shore and the Sea: Oral Literacy and Heritage, explored how storytelling, place and cultural heritage can play a powerful role in building confidence, voice and connection.
This session offered a timely reminder that literacy is not only about formal skills, but also about identity, expression and belonging — themes that resonated strongly with attendees.
Conversation, Collaboration and Next Steps
After lunch and networking, the afternoon focused on table discussions, with a central question: How do we make our services more accessible?
These conversations were practical and honest, drawing on real experiences of working with people who face literacy barriers every day.
The closing plenary brought feedback from the tables and helped shape a shared sense of next steps.
While challenges remain significant, there was a strong feeling of momentum and willingness to continue working together beyond the summit.
Looking Ahead
The Redcar Literacy Summit 2025 made clear that there is no single solution — but there is a wealth of commitment, creativity and expertise locally.
By bringing people together, sharing evidence, and learning from different approaches, the summit laid important groundwork for future collaboration.
Thank you to everyone who contributed, facilitated discussions and attended.
The conversations started yesterday now need to turn into sustained action — and the collective will to do that was very much in the room.
Slides For Those Who Missed The Event
In case anyone missed the event but would like to look over the presentation used for the event we have provided it below for easy viewing and download.
Loading Viewer…