Dame Judi Dench becomes patron of Aylesbury reading support charity

Dame Judi Dench has been announced as a new patron for an Aylesbury-based charity which supports people with age-related vision issues.

The Oscar-winning actress was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common condition that affects the middle part of your vision in later life, back in 2012.

Now the great Dame has joined up with Calibre Audio, an Aylesbury charity that supports AMD sufferers.

Calibre Audio believes macular degeneration is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, affecting more than 600,000 people.

The charity was keen to collaborate with the national treasure, as Dame Judi has previously been extremely open about her sight loss.

Specifically, the Shakespeare in Love star has shared how she has had to find other ways for learning lines and can no longer read books.

Calibre aims to bring the world of reading to as many people as possible who can not use printed books.

The charity helps people all across the UK by providing a free audiobook service to anyone who has a disability that makes reading print difficult.

Dame Judi said: “I am delighted to have been invited to be a Patron of such a worthwhile charity. Their dedication and passion for making the joy of reading available to all is something I wholeheartedly support.

"Without charities such as Calibre, those dealing with sight loss or other conditions such as dyslexia are denied the opportunity to read - a pleasure that most of us take for granted.”

Calibre Audio has over 15,000 members who have conditions such as: dyslexia, a visual or cognitive impairment or any other health condition that makes reading the printed word difficult or impossible, such as multiple sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson's and arthritis.

Anthony Kemp, CEO of Calibre Audio said: “We are thrilled that Dame Judi shares our belief that everyone should be able to experience the joy of reading without the barrier of disability, and with Dame Judi's support we hope to reach even more people, so that everyone who would really benefit from accessing our audiobooks knows how to find us.”