Ya Ching spreads information about the Challenge using posters, emails and ULR meetings in workplace. "We've run it twice, last year with 16 people and this year we have 18 people involved so far. Through the Challenge we also can refer them to take part in Skills for Life courses if they find they need to improve their reading skills. The Challenge built up my reading confidence and it also gave me opportunities to meet different people and to find out their needs."

Ena, a part-time evening cleaner, heard about the Challenge through Ya Ching. "I used to read newspapers, magazines and news from websites but have seldom finished a hard copy book. I can get enough support from Merseytravel and we share some interesting books we've read. It's been good to foster my interest in reading books and to increase my English skills."

Andy Thornton, Manager of Merseylearn, Merseytravel's own learning organisation, is a keen supporter: "The Six Book Challenge works for us because it is so flexible. With such a diverse workforce - including ferry captains, police officers, mobile staff, customer service staff, and a wide variety of white and blue collar teams - it has something for everyone. We've linked it to World Book Day and Quick Reads, in which one of our staff has a story published, so it motivates people to think about books and reading, and encourages them to engage with our Skills for Life team to upgrade their skills and improve both morale and skills within the organisation. It's a very simple, flexible system which anyone can engage with, at all levels of the organisation. We will you run it again in the future. I would encourage other businesses to run the Six Book Challenge in their workplaces - it's a stepping stone to improved morale, book swapping systems, Skills for Life, and a really useful workplace dialogue."

"A few years ago I found reading very difficult," explains Bob. "I couldn't concentrate for a long length of time on things that were not geared towards my job. My attention span was not good, and I also found writing reports and letters related to my work difficult. So I decided to do an e-learning grammar course through work.

"Whilst doing the course, someone from Westminster Libraries came to give us a talk about the Six Book Challenge, and how we could get books from libraries in Westminster or our local library. I wasn't a member of my local library, and the only things I was reading at that time were work-related: I certainly wasn't reading for pleasure. So when I heard about the Six Book Challenge I felt a bit nervous at first. But I have a long journey to and from work, so I thought to myself that I could try and use that time to read.

"I am a film and music buff, so I started off reading autobiographies of people I was interested in - actors like Jack Hawkins, Kenneth More and John Wayne. I found I did enjoy this sort of reading. Then I got into science fiction and Arthur C Clarke, and then horror and Stephen King... I have found that I'm reading bigger and "heavier" books now.

"With the Six Book Challenge, the incentives we've had on offer in our workplace, things like free coffee or cinema tickets, have helped to encourage some of my colleagues back into reading. And there's also the sense of having something to aim for, of having achieved something when you have completed the Challenge.

"The Six Book Challenge is something we talk about at work. If I go into the kitchen and see someone reading when they are on a break I'll ask them about what they are reading, and we will chat to each other about our current books. For anyone thinking about starting the Six Book Challenge but perhaps feeling a bit nervous, I'd say "start small", reading things like a newspaper article or a short story, and build up from that. It will give you more confidence, and it will encourage you.

"This will be my second year of reading books on a regular basis thanks to the Six Book Challenge. Now I regularly read at least two books a month and find it very enjoyable. I've finished my e-learning grammar course and thanks to that and the Challenge I have more confidence in things like my report writing - I can express things better and put phrases together better."

"I first heard about the Six Book Challenge when I was doing a course at South Street nursery last year," explains Rehana. "Our teacher told us about the Challenge, and took us to the local library. I thought it sounded a good idea, as I wanted to improve my
English. My husband didn't speak very good English, so I said to him to do it with me.

"I could speak English before but I could not read books. The Six Book Challenge helped me with reading books in English. They are children's books, but they are helping me. Reading is one of the ways that I relax. And I am reading with my children in the mornings when we sit down for breakfast - they have books which they have brought home from school and we read them together, which I really like.

"My children are really happy that Mummy is reading with them. They are choosing books in English to borrow for themselves and for me, and they get books in Urdu for Daddy. Now they speak in English to me and in Punjabi to Daddy. But Daddy's English is also getting better."

"I really liked doing the Six Book Challenge," says Muhammed. "Before, I was very shy about speaking English, but it has helped me. Now I can speak in English to the children, and I can go to the shops on my own, or to the Jobcentre."

Rehana remembers: "When we finished the Six Book Challenge we got certificates at our local library, and we were both very happy. Eventually I hope my English is
good enough so that I can work. I would like to be a nursery nurse, or work with children."

"At school I never really grasped reading and spelling, but it was especially my spelling that had bothered me. When I retired I promised myself two things, that I would go back to English classes and learn how to swim.

The tutor Linda is very good. She puts you in groups where you are similar and she takes time with you and she treats all of you like individuals. You learn not to be embarrassed, you are with other people who are like you.

In April Linda told us about Six Book Challenge. I hadn't been to the library since I was a school - I never bothered even though my lad did: he is in the Army now, and has always been an avid reader.

We all had to meet at the library, and we looked at the books for the Challenge, and they explained that we had to read six books. I thought: 'This will be good for me.' I got going, and I had to write what I thought about the books in my reading diary, then get it stamped as proof that you had read the books.

I never knew that reading was such a pleasure until I joined Six Book Challenge. It has encouraged me to read fiction and non-fiction. I've been reading all sorts of things. The Quick Reads are really good for me, I have been reading some big books but these are really good.

Reading has given me new things to talk to other people about. One of my neighbours reads a lot. He asked me what I was reading and he said he would get me a copy of one of the books he had enjoyed. I would not have been able to have that sort of conversation before.

I have read 37 books since I started the Challenge. I would never have thought of going to the library: Six Book Challenge has given me that little push I needed.

Once I have really got to grips with my spelling, I am thinking about doing some more classes. I would like to do something with computers, and I'd also like to go on and do craft work classes. And soon I will go onto more bigger books. Reading makes you think. I have really come on now - with the Six Book Challenge I can understand things and it's helped me to understand why writers write what they do. It has really changed me around, it really has. It doesn't matter how old you are, you are never too old to try."

"Before I came to Treloar College, I was at a special school where I struggled with reading and writing. I've got a problem with my sight and I didn't like to admit to anyone that I couldn't cope in class. I was really nervous about having to read or write anything. I felt I was missing out in life because I couldn't read everyday stuff.

But when I came to Treloar College, the staff used their expertise to help me read. For the past year, I've been working on a one-to-one literacy scheme and my reading and spelling are a lot better.

When I found out that my tutor group were doing the Six Book Challenge, I was really excited because I wanted to improve my reading. I started off with easy books and the staff enlarged the text for me if it was too small to read. As I got better, I moved on to harder books and I started to really enjoy reading.

Before I did the Six Book Challenge I didn't want to visit a library. I was too embarrassed because I couldn't read. But now I feel good about libraries because our Learning Resource Centre has a range of books at different levels which I can read.

Since I did the Six Book Challenge, I have been getting more reading support from tutors and staff at Treloar College, so that I can keep improving my pronunciation and spelling. I have also joined the Peer Support Group at college where we listen to each others' problems and give advice. I feel I can understand people better now and I can express myself more easily because I know more words.

Being able to read has really boosted my confidence and I feel good about myself. Now I can relax and read about things I am interested in. If you are thinking about doing the Six Book Challenge but you have some 'hang-ups' about reading, I'd say 'Go for it!' You will never look back. You will keep going on and on to what you want to achieve in life."

"Because I'm dyslexic, I've always had trouble with my spelling and writing. But I have a big family, I held down two jobs, and life was always busy, so I never really had the chance to do anything about it. When I heard about the Challenge I thought this is something I can do for me. There was absolutely no pressure on us to do it, or to have to finish, and that was important to me, because at the back of my mind I was thinking 'Oh no, what if I fail?'

At first I did find it a bit hard to get back into the habit of reading, but even if you just take five or ten minutes, and even if you are just reading one or two pages each time, you do get back into it. When I completed the Challenge I felt proud of myself. I thought 'Yes I've done it!' I enjoyed using my voucher at the coffee shop, and I enjoyed going to the presentation evening we had, where I got my certificate.

I'm going to be doing the Six Book Challenge again this year - it starts up again in a couple of week and I can't wait!

At the end of the Challenge, Kath suggested that I have a go at creative writing classes. I've always made up stories in my head but I've never had the confidence before to write them up. But I've started writing. Not to show anyone, but I write all sorts of things, like perhaps a little poem that might come to me. I've even started to write a book. It feels like I'm seeing things with a new pair of eyes."