HIDDEN away at the Alexander Centre in Tavistock is a tiny portable cabin which over the last few years has made an amazing difference to the lives of hundreds of people in West Devon.

Yet, ironically, its anonymity is part of its success.

Tavistock Adult Basic Skills Unit tackles what most people take for granted. You can read this article. There are many people living in this area who can't — some of them you might even know.

Anna Kelly, co-ordinator at the unit, said people go to ingenious lengths to hide the fact they have a literacy or numeracy problem.

'One very common feature is they are always tired because they put so much into hiding their problem,' said Anna.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to being unable to read or write properly and it takes tremendous courage to make that first, vital step towards solving the problem.

People visit the unit for the first time for a variety of reasons.

'They might change jobs — if they've been doing manual work all their lives they have to come to terms with the fact they've a problem,' said Anna.

'They may have got married, had kids and then can't help them with their homework and feel inadequate.

So, what can clients expect when they take that first step?

Anna discusses the aims of the student, assesses their individual needs and draws up a personal learning programme. Then she assigns a volunteer tutor who provides lessons, homework, projects, on-going support and encouragement.

The tuition is absolutely free, on a one-to-one basis and takes around two hours a week.

Work can be undertaken at the unit or at home — tutors are also encouraged to get out and about, for example, planning bus journeys, shopping trips, or going to the travel agent and arranging a holiday.

It takes between two and three years to really see the change, said Anna.

'It's extremely rewarding. You can't expect it to happen next week or next month or even next year but it will come.'

So how do these problems arise in the first place?

'One way is illness as a child, when they missed school and never caught up,' said Anna.

'Another is poor teaching in the past — teachers are a lot more enlightened now.'

Some clients have spelling difficulties as a result of a phase when children were taught to spell phonetically.

Some from rural families missed out schooling because they were expected to work on the farm — other people have dyslexia which was never diagnosed.

'At some point many have been made to feel small and it's started a circle. Their inabilities are often exacerbated by a lack of motivation and being belittled,' she said.

And as people grow up, the problems increase.

'This fear builds up in their mind until it's larger than life,' said Anna.

'People who have no basic skills problems have no idea what it's like.

'A simple thing like getting a shopping trolley and putting your £1 in assumes mammoth proportions when you can't read instructions.

'Lots of people would go out of their way to find a garage that served you because they couldn't read self-service instructions. People take things for granted when they can read,' said Anna.

'A large portion of daily living is out of bounds to people who lack basic skills. Taking tablets, working the video — there's just no end to it.'

It's the aim of the Basic Skills Unit to ensure people are not disadvantaged, to increase their self-worth and confidence and make sure they can reach their potential.

'We've only touched the tip of the iceberg. Tavistock is the sort of place where everybody knows everybody else.

'It's very difficult to get people to come forward.

'It's also difficult to contact them in the first place, if they can't read. Word of mouth is beginning to gain momentum, but you still have to gain that hurdle of admitting it.'

A new project for the Basic Skills Unit is food workshops being held this term at Tavistock College, where students are taught about menus, health and hygiene, buying, cooking and pricing ingredients.

A major coup for the unit itself was the 'learning tardis' — the portable cabin donated by Plymouth firm CDC. It means a permanent place for all the books and resources used and privacy for tutors and clients.

'It's been brilliant,' said Anna.

In an ideal world where funding was no object, she would have the unit open all day, every day.

'My dream would be to have a drop-in centre from 9am to 9pm, providing booths where people could come in confidence, find out more about what we do and where we could hold group work and one-to-one tuition,' she said.

l The unit is always on the lookout for volunteer tutors, willing to give a couple of hours a week of their time to help students — tutors themselves are given the opportunity to work towards a City and Guilds qualification, paid for by the unit. Contact Tavistock Adult Basic Skills Unit on 01822 614888.