Friday 27 January 2012

When Theo met Camilla

I had a brilliant time yesterday with Theo Walcott and HRH Duchess of Cornwall... Well, I was near them...

We were all at Arsenal's magnificent Emirates Stadium (my second visit this month: the first was to watch Leeds in the FA cup) to launch Premier League Reading Stars, the scheme that works with well-known footballers to encourage children to read for pleasure.

I've been involved with PLRS for nine years now, visiting libraries and schools taking part. This year I worked with top teacher, Diane Baker, to create the tactics book, a set of ten classroom activities. And with my wife, to choose some of the books, magazines, newspapers and websites that the scheme highlights.

PLRS is amazing. It's kind of what my mum did for me when I was 16. Nudging me towards becoming a more confident reader through my need to know more about football.

Everyone at the National Literacy Trust deserves great credit for the launch and the scheme.

And credit should go to Theo and the Duchess too. They weren't both there just to look pretty: they were both articulate and clearly passionate about reading.

And both very nice people, as I did speak to them both... briefly.

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