Literacy leaders from 90 schools gathered to launch KM's Year of Reading.

Six sessions were held around the county to brief the leaders on the popular reading initiative Buster's Book Club, which begins being used this week in the county's schools.

Teachers initiating the program in Kent and Medway schools met KM Charity Team staff to learn tips and tricks to make a dramatic impact on reading and engagement.

More than 26,000 children and families will use the successful home reading initiative in 2017. Buster’s Book Club provides schools with the tools to get pupils and families excited about reading and turn participating children into reading millionaires.

The initiative uses a unique triple challenge to engage children and families to read more – a weekly reading class of the week award, a monthly inter-school challenge offering leisure attraction vouchers as prizes and an annual collaborative attempt to turn participating children into reading millionaires if they collectively read more than one million minutes of reading. Schools also have the chance to win a visit by Phil Gallagher, who plays the role of Mister Maker on CBeebies.

Simon Dolby from the KM Charity Team said: "KM's Year of Reading will shine the spotlight on the great initiatives used to develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the county's schools as well as challenging children to hit an all-time high figure for the number of reading minutes achieved through our simple to deliver scheme, Buster's Book Club."

The initiative is supported by Kent County Council, Medway Council, Kent Libraries, 3Rs teacher recruitment, Kent Reliance, Specsavers, Bel UK, Orbit housing association and Golding Homes