Adults speak about learning to read in later life

Henry Sweeney and Irene McGregor both learnt how to read and write when they were adults.

Henry was what is known as "functionally illiterate", someone who can only read or write basic words like a name.

Leaving school at 16, Irene went to work at Boots although she was not promoted, due to her lack of reading and writing skills.

"When someone asked me I'd just started shaking, started panicking, wee panic attacks," she said.

Now, thanks to North Lanarkshire Council's adult community learning classes, they are enjoying literacy skills that are often taken for granted.