News
The Duchess of Cornwall visits a Volunteer Reading Help project at a school in Chiswick
21st June 2011
The Duchess of Cornwall visited a primary school in Chiswick today, to take a look at a literacy project in action, run by Volunteer Reading Help.
Earlier this month, The Duchess made a donation to a campaign to fund 10 VRH reading volunteers.
She told volunteers: "I have got grandchildren of my own I spend a lot of time reading to.
"I shall be keeping a close eye on your progression."
She added: "I've always been fascinated by books so it was a natural progression."
The Duchess sat in while the school's volunteers read with two pupils.
Sally Floyer was teaching Daniel Tarjanyi, seven, while Lindsay Moffat worked with Abhijit Arora, eight.
Daniel read fairytale Little Red Riding Hood and Arsenal supporter Abhijit read a book about football called Going Up! and joke cards.
Afterwards The Duchess said that it was "fantastic" to see the children so happy.
She said: "Reading really builds up their confidence."
Her Royal Highness chatted in the school library with two new VRH volunteers she is
sponsoring, David de Cruz, a retired headmaster, and Suzanne Diver, a former toy buyer for Woolworths.
Volunteer Reading Help is a charity which has trained volunteers to help children learn to read since 1973.
It is partnering the Evening Standard newspaper in a campaign to improve literacy in London.
The Duchess is a champion of literacy and is Patron of The National Literacy Trust, the Wicked Young Writers Award and Booktrust.
Cavendish Primary School, a community school with 215 pupils aged between three and 11, has been working with the charity for more than 10 years.