In the Queen's Golden Jubilee honour's list, the manager at my local Access and Training Centre received the O.B.E for her good work in our centre. She tries hard to help everyone she meets, and to improve the area we live in. We were all thrilled that our access centre was named in the Honours List.

How I came across Mrs Pat Jackson was, I could not read, write, spell or do anything like shopping. I had no confidence at all. It is so hard to live a life without being able to do that so I tried to pluck up the courage to get help. I walked up and down outside the Access Centre more than twenty times before I got the nerve to walk through the door. They were really nice and they said they could help me.

I would turn up every Friday morning and Pat helped me.

Three years later I can read, write and spell. Now I can read anything. I have read Jane Eyre. I write my own shopping list and do all my own shopping.

Who would have thought I could have done this? If someone is willing to help you, that makes all the difference.

I want to become a basic skills tutor. I know how it feels to be a person who has not had any education. I used to use every excuse going.

Pat showed me compassion and understanding. A person who has learning problems needs that.