LUCY CHRISTIE
Harry Potter author JK Rowling gave prisoners learning to read a "real boost" when she visited them in jail, a literacy charity said yesterday.
The millionaire author presented awards to inmates at Edinburgh Prison earlier this month.
Rowling, whose writing has brought her millions of fans worldwide, was invited to carry out the honours by the Shannon Trust.
The London-based charity helps prisoners across the UK learn to read.
David Ahern of the trust said: "We were delighted JK Rowling was able to visit. She gave the prisoners a real boost. Some were just starting out on the scheme and this gave them a real incentive to continue learning.
"Prison can be a lonely place for learners, so knowing there are international figures like JK Rowling supporting them makes a huge difference to them."
According to the charity, 65% of all prisoners have a reading age of 11 years or under.
This stops them from finding employment on release, making them three times more likely to reoffend than those who go on to get a job.
The Toe by Toe reading programme sees prisoners teach other inmates to read with the support of mentors.
Following her visit on March 4, Rowling said: "I am pleased to be able to support the Shannon Trust's work, and it was a very positive experience to go to see the Toe by Toe scheme in action and meet some of the mentors and mentees.
"Learning to read represents a significant turning point in anyone's life, and may be the one thing that makes a difference to help people in prison turn their lives around."
Rowling, 42, is one of the richest women in the world, with a fortune estimated by US magazine Forbes at £504m.
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