There's a lot of help out there for people like myself and I wish I'd gone a long time ago

Gary Whitney

She happened to noticed how he avoided writing anything down and got him to complete a short test, which revealed he was slightly dyslexic.

After some persuasion, Gary signed up for a basic skills class, one morning a week, at Havering Technical College in Hornchurch, Essex.

"It's two or three hours at college. And I also spend a couple of hours going through some work in the week - but it's best not to overkill it," he said.

"There's no more than eight in the class, with very friendly teachers. When you go to college you need a friendly face, otherwise you leave and never come back.

"It's only �10 a year and I get to use all the facilities at the college, so I'm doing basic internet stuff too," he said.

Gary has now achieved Basic Level One in English and is working towards level two.

Cover-up

But before achieving that, he had spent a lifetime learning to keep his weakness a guarded secret.

"I used to get my wife to write cards and letters," he recalls.

He was heavily involved with hospital radio and was asked to run the operation.

"I was so scared, because there was lots of writing involved. I used to bring paperwork home so my wife could help me.

"You become quite devious!" he laughed.

"But if I had gone to college earlier, it wouldn't have been so daunting."

First step

"It's daunting to go first off, but if you can cross that barrier, you won't look back."

And although he nearly broke down at his first session - because he had not realised how bad his problem was - he has no regrets.

"When I was at school, they didn't know I was dyslexic, so I got left behind. You feel you're thick, but now I know I'm not, I just learn differently," he said.

"I'm so glad I plucked up the courage to go to college. As well as learning, my confidence is so much better and I realise I'm not thick or silly.

"There's a lot of help out there for people like myself and I wish I'd gone a long time ago.

"Obviously I've still got problems, but it definitely has helped me. My wife still helps me, but I can do things on my own that I couldn't have done before."