WHEN Nick Pope enrolled at Bolton College to improve his literacy he never imagined reading would completely transform his life.

Dyslexia and bad experiences at school meant the 44-year-old left without any qualifications.

After school he starting working as a qualified panel beater, but later developed problems with drink and spent several years living on the streets.

Emmaus, the charity which helps people who have been homeless, helped him turn his life around and last September he enrolled at Bolton College to improve his literacy skills.

He said: “I’ve had a lot of support from Emmaus.

“I’ve been with Bolton Emmaus for five years now. I live there in the community and for the last 18 months I’ve been the community’s full-time cook.”

He added: “Two years ago I struggled to write my own name, but I just wanted to read better. I wanted to be able to write out the menus that I cook for people, and to be able to read recipes and cookery books.

"I'm a good cook, and I enjoy my work but I couldn’t read. Being dyslexic it’s been hard, but I feel like I'm making progress, and I’ve had lots of support at college.”

Mr Pope said his reading and writing is coming on in “leaps and bounds”.

He said: “You use reading and writing everywhere in day to day life, and I’d like to be able to use the skills I’ve learned to be able to do more of the simple things in life that most people can take for granted. Like writing a cheque.

“And in the past it’s been frustrating when I've received letters that I haven't been able to read. That’s why I’d never been able to hold down a flat — I hadn’t been able to read or understand bills.”

Mr Pope is now back at college eager to achieve his ambition of becoming a car mechanic.

He said: “I never thought reading would transform my life so much.”

Mr Pope was one of 272 people at Bolton College who recently completed The Reading Agency’s Six Book Challenge, which fellow student 19-year-old Yasmin Sharif also took part in.

Bolton College had the second highest numbers of readers complete the challenge and to complete it, Nick would sit with an Emmaus member of staff and read his books.

He said: “I first heard about the Six Book Challenge from my tutor. I thought it would be hard but I sat down and read each day, books that my tutor had given me and we’d discuss in class what we’d read, which I enjoyed.

“Going to the awards ceremony at Bolton College and getting my certificate once I’d completed the Six Book Challenge felt brilliant.”

Yasmin, who is at Bolton College with a view to going to university to study nursing, is using reading to improve her English.

When she first came to the UK from Somalia just over three years ago she spoke no English and enrolled on ESOL classes.

She added: “Reading has really helped me to learn new words and to understand how the English language works.

“I think reading has also made me more confident, and it has helped me to work towards getting the qualifications I need.”

Kath Morgan, volunteer reading co-ordinator at Bolton College said: “Reading gives people so much confidence as it improves their skills in English. The Six Book Challenge shows people that they can find time for reading.”