Reading plays a vital role in the success of the top stars on stage and screen.

And that is why Val Jackson of Bradford based drama group, Stage 84, thinks Reading Matters for Life is an excellent project.

The charity, with the backing of the Telegraph & Argus, aims to recruit adult volunteers to help teenagers who struggle with literacy skills.

And Mrs Jackson, who founded Stage 84 17 years ago, claims it is reading skills which help to build the confidence of her students.

"At Stage 84 the children have to be able to read their scripts and memorise their lines," she said.

"And to pass their speech and drama classes they have to be able to read a range of books from Harry Potter through to William Shakespeare.

"This makes them become confident, which is something that will be with them for life.

"Reading Matters is an excellent project. To teach and help children with their reading is great and there is so much pleasure to be had."

One of Stage 84's pupils who felt the benefit of speech and drama classes was Jack Shepherd, 13, who plays Martin and Gail Platt's cheeky son David in Coronation Street.

According to Mrs Jackson, who is his agent, he hated learning but soon became a huge fan of playwrights such as John Godber.

"When Jack came along he became more confident and his reading and learning skills improved and just look where he is now.

"Being able to read well is a definite confidence booster," she said.

And his mum Janet agrees.

"He was struggling at school and finding it difficult because he wasn't fully motivated," she said. "Then I took him to Stage 84 and he began reading plays and poems and his confidence started to grow.

"He started winning competitions at drama festivals for poetry reciting and we couldn't get his head out of a book.

"Now he is loving what he is doing."

Reading Matters for Life wants adult volunteers who are willing to go on a two day training course to get in touch. If they pass an interview they will have the chance to spend a couple of hours a week in a secondary school helping youngsters to read.