On Thursday 11 March the Bookbite team greeted a very special guest at a reception held at the City of Westminster Archives in London; HRH Princess Anne had come to learn more about the Bookbite project. The Princess Royal has been a distinguished ambassador for adult basic skills since 1990 and she is also a patron of NIACE (the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) who hosted the reception.
Also in attendance were the Deputy Lord Mayor, Cyril Nemeth; representatives from our sponsors, The Transformation Fund; our partners, UK online centres and WRVS; and some of our informal partners: Open Age, The Furzedown Project, Home Library Service and St John’s Wood Library.
Some of the older people who have been involved in Bookbite, Kate Kinsella, Joe Moisey and Ann Duce, got the opportunity to talk to the Princess Royal. They spoke about how Bookbite has supported and encouraged them to enjoy reading, writing and the internet.
For all participants it was an educational and exciting day which provided us with inspiration and ideas on how to carry Bookbite forward - as well as an opportunity to meet a real-life princess.
Carol Taylor, Director of Operations, NIACE
Viv Bird, Chief Executive, Booktrust
Louise Chadwick, Head of Project, BookbiteHRH The Princess Royal speaks
Some of the older people involved in Bookbite get the chance to talk to the Princess Royal
Kate Kinsella learned to conquer computers at a late stage in life and told her story in the Bookbite magazine.
Joe Moisey, 87, who featured in the Bookbite magazine, speaks about writing his memoirs to the Princess RoyalAll photographs credited to NIACE Royal Reception, 11 March 2010, London
