Orange Prize judges give backing to our literacy campaign

Judges of the Orange Prize for Fiction, awarded last night, have given the Evening Standard's literacy campaign a ringing endorsement.

They join top authors, actors and comedians as the latest high profile supporters of the Get London Reading campaign.

Best-selling author Kate Mosse, who co-founded the prize, said: "On behalf of the Orange Prize for Fiction and as a novelist who does a lot of work in libraries, I would like to give our support to the Standard campaign and encourage people to do their bit.

"The rates of illiteracy in the UK are very, very high for a nation that prides itself on world-class writers and one of the most powerful publishing industries in the world. This is an opportunity for every single person to make a difference and transform a life."

Television poetry presenter Daisy Goodwin said: "There's nothing more important than getting children to read. We don't value books enough so there's a danger of taking literacy for granted."

Adventurer Ranulph Fiennes added his weight to the campaign, saying: "Reading has given me great pleasure and stress-relief for over half a century. Congratulations to the Evening Standard. Hugely worthwhile."

Comedian Dom Joly said: "It is a fantastic initiative. I find it astonishing and depressing that so many children in London struggle with basic literacy skills."

Bridget Barry, 56, has volunteered. The medical PA from Bow said: "I've got three grandchildren who can all read and I'd like to do something to get London back to literacy."