Children, Young People & Education
The Vintners’ Foundation supports charities that help children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop confidence, build essential life skills and reach their full potential. We focus on early intervention and long-term support, particularly for those who face barriers due to poverty, disrupted family life or time spent in care.
Two examples of charities supported in the current year are Chapter One, a literacy charity working with young children, and Live Unlimited, which supports care-experienced young people in London.
Chapter One
Closing the reading gap, one child at a time
Chapter One’s mission is to close the reading gap by providing children aged five to seven with one-to-one reading support at the point it matters most. Many of the children they support live in communities where access to books and consistent reading help at home is limited.
Since 2018, Chapter One has delivered its Online Reading Volunteers programme, matching children with trained volunteers for regular, individual reading sessions.
What we fund
The Vintners’ Foundation supported Chapter One to deliver the programme to 50 children across 15 London primary schools during the 2023–24 academic year.
Each child received:
Weekly 25–30 minute one-to-one reading sessions
Support from trained volunteers with enhanced DBS checks
Structured phonics-based learning tailored to each child’s needs
The impact has been significant. Children improved by an average of 3.21 reading levels in one year, and Children ‘on track’ with school expectations rose from 49.8% to 72.6%.
Teachers also reported improved confidence, engagement and positive attitudes towards reading, particularly among shy or reluctant readers.
Live Unlimited
Giving care-experienced young people space to grow
Live Unlimited supports children and young people up to the age of 25 who are currently in, or have previously been, the care of the London Borough of Barnet. Many of the young people they work with feel unseen or unheard and face challenges linked to trauma, instability and social isolation.
Each year, Live Unlimited supports over 100 vulnerable children and young people, providing opportunities that build confidence, resilience and connection.
What we fund
The Vintners’ Foundation funds Live Unlimited’s weekly Outdoor Programme, a forest-school style initiative for children aged six to 18.
Delivered over 10 weeks, the programme offers:
Two-hour weekly sessions on a farm and woodland site near Barnet
Activities such as den-building, fire-making, growing food and wildlife identification
Opportunities to take safe, measured risks and build friendships