Six volunteers from Swindon attended a reception with the Queen earlier this week to celebrate their contributions to a charity which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
The volunteers, known as ‘literacy champions’ all volunteer at The National Literacy Trust and attended a special reception at Clarence House in London.
Among them was 41-year-old Miriam Loheac, who lives in Eastcott.
Miriam Loheac at Clarence House (Image: National Literacy Trust)
Having developed her love for stories during her childhood in India, Ms Loheac works to ensure her daughters and the wider community receive the same educational opportunities she did.
Because she was an orphan, she was educated at a boarding school, but received books from her extended family during term-time and enjoyed sharing stories with them when they were together.
Since settling in Swindon, she came across the National Literacy Trust team at their regular story group for under-fives at the Swindon Hub.
She now regularly leads story and rhyme time at the Swindon Hub and stay and play at the Central Library, both free for families with children aged up to five.
(L-R) Sonja Van Leeuwen, Hayley Njie, Jyoti Mandliya, Sravanti Koppu, Ella Cridland, Miriam Loheac, Katie Allinson (Image: National Literacy Trust)
She said: "I really enjoyed talking to the guests and members of the Royal Household, who took the time to speak with us and were genuinely interested in our work as literacy champions. It made me feel very valued.
"Meeting other inspiring volunteers from across the country has given me great ideas to grow our work here in Swindon.
"Literacy is vital to get where you want to go in society, it opens up your mind and inspires imagination."
Others at the reception included Katie Allinson from Highworth, Ella Cridland from Park North, Jyoti Mandliya from central Swindon, Sravanti Koppu from Eastcott and Hayley Njie from Park North.
The Queen and Jonathan Douglas, CEO of The National Literacy Trust (Image: National Literacy Trust)
Jonathan Douglas, CEO at The National Literacy Trust, said: "Yesterday we marked 30 years of The National Literacy Trust by celebrating our dedicated literacy champions with our patron, Her Majesty The Queen.
"Over the last three decades, their commitment and embodiment of our mission has helped us inspire and empower over five million children.
"With their support, we can continue our important work in Swindon to change life stories through the power of literacy."
The group from Swindon were among more than 60 from across England and Wales who were invited to the reception in recognition of their contributions by the National Literacy Trust.
There are currently more than 1,000 literacy champions volunteering across the UK, 62 of whom are in Swindon.
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