THE Princess Royal flew into Newport by helicopter yesterday for a garden party at the city's Tredegar House.

The event was organised by the Basic Skills Agency to celebrate their work in helping people beat illiteracy and innumeracy.

Princess Anne, the patron of the BSA, flew in to praise BSA employees and the teachers who have worked with them to give more than 1,000 schools and employers across Wales BSA Quality Marks.

Alan Wells, director of the BSA, said: "The Quality Mark sets minimum standards in the teaching of basic skills that all organisations - schools, colleges, adult education services, voluntary organisations - should aim to meet, and it's encouraging that so many have reached the standard demanded by the Quality Mark."

Wales education minister Jane Davidson said: "When we launched the agency in 2000, our target was that all basic skills programmes in Wales would obtain the Quality Mark by 2004.

"It was an ambitious target, but you rose to the challenge and I am pleased that so many have achieved that standard."

The Princess Royal then took the podium and said: "This is a day for celebrating the work that you are doing throughout the whole of Wales to raise literacy and numeracy standards.

"We don't often get the opportunity to celebrate so I'm extremely pleased to see so many of you here today.

"Gaining awards is never easy and I don't underestimate the hard work and commitment that you must have shown in order to achieve your basic skills awards.

"We know that we can't solve our basic skills problem on our own. It's the work that you do every day with children, young people and adults that will help to make a difference.

"I congratulate you on your achievements and for helping to make Wales a truly literate and numerate nation."

The princess then walked around the grounds of Tredegar House, where Gwent schools Kemys Fawr Infants, Monmouth Comp-rehensive, Briary Hill Primary and Deighton Primary were performing, among others from as far away as Swansea and Anglesey.