THE Jersey Dyslexia Association has been relieved of any immediate need to raise funds after being awarded £10,000 by the Amazon Trust.

The charity hopes to use the money to develop its resources, update computer software, maintain professional development and offer localised training.

‘We were delighted to receive the funding,’ said Ruth Smith, chairman of the association. ‘Fund-raising on top of helping people is a big undertaking because most of the committee are in full-time work as well and are very busy.

This money will relieve us of the need to raise funds for the next few years at least. There are several things we shall use the money for, but it all comes under the umbrella of raising awareness about dyslexia. We want to offer a laptop computer as a prize for a website competition and hope within our localised training to help parents, teachers and human resources people in the workplace to understand dyslexia and learn how to help.

• Picture: Gareth Essex-Cater, Amazon trustee, with the JDA’s Denise Waller and Ruth Smith after their £10,000 award. Picture: bu Tony Pike (00590054)