First-ever Hartlepool Literacy Summit “a roaring success” 

Published Thursday, 27th February 2025

Businesses and organisations in Hartlepool have come together to back a major new drive to boost adult literacy in the town and unlock residents’ full potential.

Over 100 representatives of firms and organisations took part in the Hartlepool Literacy Summit organised by Hartlepool Borough Council at Hartlepool College of Further Education.

More than a third of Hartlepool adults have very low levels of literacy, drastically affecting their life chances and those of their families.

To tackle the issue, at the Summit the Council launched a Hartlepool Literacy Task Force in partnership with local firms and businesses, who signed a special pledge to work together to champion literacy for everyone and make literacy skills more accessible and relevant, to create a skilled workforce to meet the needs of employers both now and in the future.

Centre - Denise McGuckin, Hartlepool Literacy Summit - (centre) Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Jonathan Brash MP and Councillor Brenda Harrison celebrate the signing of the pledge with some of the other representatives who took part in the Summit

The summit speakers and some of the representatives taking part in the event celebrate the signing of the pledge

Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Chair of the Council’s Economic Growth and Regeneration Committee, said: “We have £140m going into the physical regeneration of Hartlepool and we need to make sure that the people who live here have the skills to take full advantage of all the opportunities that brings.

"At the moment, due to low literacy levels, one in three Hartlepool adults would not be able to do that. Add to this the fact that low literacy levels cost the UK economy as a whole around £38bn each year in lost productivity and work welfare costs.

“It’s a situation that, together, we must take action to address, and that action has started with the Summit and the launch of the Hartlepool Literacy Task Force.

"I would like to thank everyone who came along, and Hartlepool College of Further Education for hosting the event. It was a roaring success - the sense of optimism and the level of commitment to working in partnership to tackle the issue of low literacy levels was truly inspiring.

“If every individual and organisation makes just a small change, when you add up all those small changes together we can make a massive impact.

“If you are an employer or run an organisation in the town but you weren’t able to take part in the summit, we’d still love you to get involved, so please get in touch.”

For more information email literacy.taskforce@hartlepool.gov.uk