HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, who has been Patron of the National Literacy Trust since November 2010, visited Middlesbrough to find out more about the charity’s work in getting the town reading and succeeding.
During her visit, the Duchess of Cornwall attended a creative writing workshop in Middlesbrough’s central Library and helped budding writers from local schools choose a title for their story. She then joined 500 school children in a poetry jam in Centre Square and listened to the winning entries of the ‘Love Middlesbrough’ poetry competition. The winning poem entitled The Spirit of Middlesbrough was written by Christopen Allon aged 10, from Newham bridge Primary School. He was ‘overjoyed’ to receive a certificate from the Duchess of Cornwall.
The Duchess then took part in a children's book giveaway outside a Middlesbrough Football Club bus with Roary the Lion, before moving on to the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art and then joined in with a creative writing workshop led by children’s author Vivian French in Middlesbrough’s Central Library.
Presenting an award to two volunteers, the Duchess of Cornwall said:
"I want to thank everyone for the wonderful work you are doing here in Middlesbrough. I have seen the self-confidence the children have from it and it seems you are going from strength to strength."