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Patrons

Patrons are figure heads and lend credibility or support to the cause of a charity or voluntary organisation. Tom has supported READ International since 2007 and recently agreed to act as patron for READ.
 

Tom Levitt (Former Labour MP)

Tom became a Patron in 2007.
 
Tom Levitt, Labour MP for High Peak 1997-2010, was one of the Third Sector's leading supporters in Parliament. He was Chair of both the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary Sector and the Community Development Fundation for several years. He also Chaired the IDeA advisory group on third sector commissioning and was a member of Baroness Neuberger's influential Commission on the Future of Volunteering. 

Prior to becoming an MP he was a teacher, local councillor and voluntary sector activist. He was also a consultant on disabled people's access to mainstream services. He was a trustee of RNID for five years and did a Voluntary Sector Fellowship with Leonard Cheshire. 

Tom joined READ in Tanzania in August 2009 - to read his blog and find about more about his time with us click here.
 

Greg Clarke (Conservative MP)

Greg became a patron in 2008.
 
Before entering politics Greg studied Economics at Cambridge University and was awarded his PhD at the London School of Economics.  He worked for the Boston Consulting Group, one of the world's top business strategy firms, and was posted to the USA, Mexico, South America and Iceland, as well as working for clients in the UK. Greg was Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for Trade & Industry - the Rt Hon Ian Lang MP - from 1996 until the General Election in 1997. Subsequently, he was appointed the BBC's Controller, Commercial Policy. Before becoming an MP, Greg was Director of Policy for the Conservative Party from March 2001 for three successive Leaders - William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard - before being elected to Parliament for Tunbridge Wells in 2005 when he was introduced to READ International as it was Rob Wilson’s (READ’s founding Director) home constituency.
 
Greg was appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in October 2008, having previously been Shadow Minister for Charities, Social Enterprises and Volunteering. Greg was responsible for two landmark policy papers in Energy and Climate Change policy: "The Low Carbon Economy" and "Rebuilding Security", which set out how a Conservative Government will make Britain a leading player in the low carbon economy. Greg was Shadow Minister for Teesside from 2006-2010. In May 2010, Greg was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government.
 

Stephen Lloyd (Liberal Democrat MP)

Stephen became a patron in 2010.
 
Stephen said he is “delighted to be able to become a patron of this incredible charity who do so much good work in East Africa working with schools and universities in the UK to deliver books to those who need them most.”
 
Stephen Lloyd was elected MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon in 2010. He lives in Old Town in the heart of Eastbourne and has been heavily involved in the local community for many years. He is a school governor at Ocklynge School, a Patron of the Royal Project and a member of many local groups including the Eastbourne Society, The Underground Theatre, Eastbourne Borough Football Club, Friends of the Towner and the Hippodrome Theatre.
 
On becoming an MP, Stephen was soon elected to the Work and Pensions Select Committee whose job it is to scrutinise the work of the Department for Work and Pensions. He is also a member of many All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs), including on Ageing and Older People, Multiple Sclerosis, Dementia, Disability, Microfinance, Pharmacy, Small Business, Autism, Citizens Advice, Justice for Equitable Life Policy Holders , Pharmacy, Tourism and many more.
 
Stephen has led campaigns in Parliament for justice for Equitable Life members and for proper funding for the Eastbourne Academy.  He also led a delegation of MPs and representatives from the English Language Schools sector to the Home Office to voice their dissatisfaction with ill thought out immigration rules. He has questioned Ministers and Secretary of States on the Pupil Premium, maternity services, pensions, benefits and disability. He has tabled Early Day Motions on English Language Schools, Neuromuscular Services, Legal Aid and the alleged medical malpractice at the Gosport NHS Memorial Hospital.