I read with some sadness that they are going to close the Swindon Dyslectic Centre.

I and a friend started the Swindon Dyslectic Association some years ago. I chaired the society for three years.

Two of my sons are dyslexic and I am myself. We felt that something should be done to help the children of Swindon and the surrounding area.

This took place after many meetings and a lot of talking to teachers, child psychologists and doctors.

I stood down from the chair because the people who were becoming involved with the society had more weight and calibre than I could give.

When I was growing up in the 1950s, dyslexia was unheard of. The teacher told my mother to teach me to read in the summer holidays. I was five.

I was labelled thick.

I can remember my schoolteacher telling me to look a word up in the dictionary. How can you do this when you do not know the first or second letter? I spent some time looking for a word that began with B in the words that began with D until someone helped me.

I can read, but my spelling is bizarre. Even the good old computer gives up on me sometimes.

Being dyslexic is not an easy thing to live with. Some children will try to get over it and will succeed in life and others will drop out and never achieve their full potential.

I do not think you can teach a dyslexic child in a mainstream school, as they will fall behind in their work.

You need a teacher who is conversant with the problem to help and encourage the child to fulfil their potential.

I am surprised, as we now know so much about dyslexia and how we can help these children, that the funding is being pulled out for such a needed service.

Janet Woodham

Old Town