Royal visit for older writers’ project Friday, March 12, 2010 - 16:56

The guests, including Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, the patron of NIACE, were at the Westminster Archives Centre to celebrate informal adult learning, the Transformation Fund and one of the 315 Transformation Fund projects, Bookbite, which inspires people over 60 to try reading, writing and getting online.

A retired nurse, Kate Kinsella published her autobiography, My Story, at the age of 85.

Ann Duce, a retired librarian, has been researching her family history and, through Bookbite, is encouraging other older people to discover a new interest in retirement.

First with the RAF, followed by a career with the Government's Pension Service, retired Joe Moisey has been telling his wonderful story about writing his memoirs through the Bookbite project. He has received requests for copies of his memoir and is considering printing many more.

Carol Taylor, an Operational Director at NIACE, said:

"This event illustrates NIACE's commitment to ensuring everybody has access to learning opportunities. We believe the best way of re-engaging people in learning is starting where they are at. Joe, Anne and Kate are a perfect indication of what can be achieved."

"We've got to ensure that we continue to shine a light, which reveals the opportunities available to every adult. The Transformation Fund, as the Bookbite Project clearly shows, has been a remarkable partnership initiative; however the momentum it's created needs to be maintained. As Kate said to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, ‘everybody's got a story to tell', it would be great to give them the opportunity to do so."

Bookbite works with partners such as WRVS and the Furzedown Project, to encourage older people to get involved with books, reading and writing.