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The Duchess of Cornwall devotes day to children’s literacy
8 Dec 2011
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall has celebrated young readers and writers today, Thursday 8 December.
The Duchess is a strong believer in the importance of literacy and is Patron of the National Literacy Trust and the Wicked Young Writers’ Award. The Duchess met the winners of the Wicked Young Writers’ Award at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. At Clarence House she met the one millionth person to be supported by the National Literacy Trust, and a child from the school that has fundraised the most for the charity.
One person in six in the UK has literacy below the level expected of an eleven-year-old. Poor literacy affects every aspect of an individual’s life from their success in the workplace to their health and their likelihood to vote. The National Literacy Trust and the Wicked Young Writers’ Award have joined forces to improve children’s literacy and to get young people enthused by reading and writing to improve their chances of success at school and throughout life.
The National Literacy Trust raises awareness of the importance of literacy and works in disadvantaged communities across the UK. The charity is this week celebrating working with 1 million children, young people and adults since its foundation in 1993. Reef Hutt from Okehampton Primary School in Devon, the charity’s one millionth beneficiary, has become a keen reader after attending inspirational reading events and being able to choose books of his own to keep. The National Literacy Trust relies on donations to fund its work.
Director Jonathan Douglas said:
We are delighted to be celebrating working with 1 million children and adults. This would not have been possible without the support of our funders. We would like to thank all those who have supported the National Literacy Trust to date from companies to grant-making organisations, to fundraising schools and individual donors.
The Wicked Young Writers’ Award was created by the award-winning West End musical Wicked to encourage creativity and develop the writing talent of five to 25-year-olds. This is particularly important as a recent National Literacy Trust survey found that enjoyment of writing was related to writing ability, with young people who enjoy writing the most also being more likely to be above average writers for their age.*
The competition is supported by best-selling children’s author and former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo, who donated books to the school of the National Literacy Trust’s one millionth beneficiary.
Michael Morpurgo explained:
Young people who have a love of reading and writing are more likely to do well. Research has proved it time and time again. Reading and writing are inextricably linked: A love of reading develops the imagination like nothing can, and fosters an understanding of language that enables young people to become creative independent writers.
Both the Wicked Young Writers' Award and the National Literacy Trust have done so much to inspire children and young people to become lifelong readers and to use their imagination to create wonderful stories. I am delighted to be donating books to the school of the National Literacy Trust’s one millionth beneficiary today.
*Clark, Setting the Baseline, The National Literacy Trust’s first annual survey into young people’s writing, 2010
Ends.
Notes to editors
About the National Literacy Trust
The National Literacy Trust is an independent charity that transforms lives through literacy. We believe that society will only be fair when everyone has the literacy skills they need to communicate, to fulfil their potential and to contribute more to society. We campaign to improve public understanding of the vital importance of literacy, as well as delivering projects and working in partnership to reach those most in need of support.
To help us transform lives through literacy, you can make a donation. To find out how visit http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/About/donate.html
National Literacy Trust is a registered charity no. 1116260, and a company limited by guarantee, no. 5836486. Registered in England and Wales. Registered address: 68 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1RL. Tel: 020 7587 1842.
About Wicked Young Writers
1.1. The thousands of entries from across the UK for the Wicked Young Writers’ Award were judged by Williams Fiennes, Michael McCabe and Michael Morpurgo, along with a team of teachers. Entries were separated into five age categories as follows: 5-7, 8-10, 11-13 and 14-16, and an individual Gregory Maguire Award for 17-25 year-olds.
1.2 Twenty finalists in each of the five different age-categories were chosen and one overall winner from each will be chosen to receive family tickets to see the award-winning musical Wicked plus a writing workshop for the individual winner at their school. Two schools that encouraged the most entries will win an array of books for their respective school libraries. A list of the 100 shortlisted entrants is available on request.
1.3. Information about the Wicked Young Writers’ Award, including entry forms and judges’ tips on entering, are available at: www.WickedYoungWriters.com
1.4. Based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Now one of the Top 20 longest-running West End musicals of all time, Wicked has won multiple awards including the 2010 Olivier Award for 'Most Popular Show', the 2011 Evening Standard Theatre Award for 'Best Night Out' and the Whatsonstage.com Award for 'Best West End Show' in both 2010 and 2011.
Official Wicked UK website – www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk
1.5. By exploring themes of friendship, acceptance, trust and tolerance, the Wicked Active Learning online Teachers’ Resource stimulates and encourages debate about prejudice, persecution and the manipulation of public opinion. Since its West End premiere in 2006, over 250,000 pupils have been enthralled and inspired by Wicked: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk/Education
1.6. Winner of over 35 major awards around the world (including the Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Most Popular Show’) WICKED has been acclaimed as “one of the biggest hits of our era” (The Observer) and “the best musical of the decade” (Entertainment Weekly). Official Wicked UK website: http://www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk
