Pupils were treated to a prize story-time session with a local children’s author and illustrator after winning a regional green-travel challenge.

Priscilla Lamont read her appropriately eco-themed book Hodge Podge Lodge (A Rubbish Story) to the children of Great Chart Primary in Ashford. The book details the consumer woes of a family of pigs.

Besides writing and illustrating her own books for young readers, Ms Lamont has done the art work for such celebrated children’s writers as Julia Jarman, Michael Rosen and Hilary McKay. She works from a studio at Creek Creative in Faversham.

Great Chart Primary won the story-time session thanks to the success of its Griffin class with Inspire Schools walk-to-school initiative Active Wow.

Super Wow encourages families to walk to school, with classes competing each week to be awarded the Green Class of the Week Trophy.

Monthly inter-school green-travel challenges award winning classes tickets to leisure attractions or visits by storytellers.

Ms Lamont said: “I’ve had a lovely time at Great Chart School. Well done to Class 2 Griffin.”

She said she hoped the story-time session would inspire other schools and children to follow in Great Chart’s green footsteps, adding: “Remember if your class does really well with green travel, I could be visiting your school for story time.

“So I hope you’ve been inspired by my story.

“Perhaps it’s given you some ideas. Perhaps when you grow up, you will discover some very clever way to really clear up the huge and horrid mess all our rubbish makes in the world – particularly plastic rubbish.”

The children of Griffin class were also treated to free-entry vouchers for Folkestone Sports Centre.

Super Wow is supported by Whites Transport, Ashford International Hotel, Orbit, Volker Highways, Countrystyle Recycling, Golding Vision, Specsavers, Eurostar, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Whitefriars, Kent, Maidstone, Bexley, Medway and Ashford councils, London Array and EduKit.

Find out more at www.kmcharityteam.co.uk or by contacting green-travel coordinator Kathy Beel at KBeel@thekmgroup.co.uk or on 0844 264 0291.

And watch a video about the story-time session here: