Children were the kings and queens of the castle at an event celebrating their passion for reading and green travel.

Leeds Castle hosted Inspire Schools’ annual end-of-academic-year celebrations for reading-reward scheme Buster’s Book Club and green-travel campaign Active Wow.

Children from schools in Kent, Medway and Bexley that were the top performers in the two initiatives were presented with free-entry vouchers to Diggerland and the castle itself.

They were joined by representatives of supporter organisations Eurostar, Ashford, Kent, Maidstone and Medway councils, Countrystyle Recycling, the Education People, Specsavers and the castle itself.

Buster’s and Active Wow are run by Inspire Schools, whose chief executive – Simon Dolby – congratulated all the schools and children involved.

Mr Dolby said: “It gives us so much pleasure to welcome these children to the spectacular setting of Leeds Castle today, and to celebrate their fantastic achievements with Buster’s and Active Wow.

“All the children here today have worked incredibly hard and thoroughly deserve their moment in the spotlight.

“Buster’s and Active Wow bring their own rewards in terms of more engaged and more active children, but it’s always lovely to be able to present high-achieving children with vouchers and certificates.

“I would also like to thank all our supporters for continuing to help us share the benefits of these two schemes with children across the region.”

Buster’s Book Club is designed to make reading cool, and sets children home-reading targets.

Green travel scheme Active Wow encourages families to leave the car at home for the school run and instead make the journey by walking or cycling.

The two schemes involve inter-class and inter-school events, and prizes include celebrity storytime sessions and free entry to visitor attractions.

In addition to the organisations represented at the castle, their supporters include the Ernest Cook Trust, Little Cheyne Court wind farm, Kent Community Foundation, Golding Vision, Orbit, Diggerland, Hornby, Wildwood, Rotary, Acorns Read and Grow, Crown Foundation, the Gibbons Trust, White’s Transport, Ashford International Hotel, Volker Highways, London Borough of Bexley and Three R’s Teacher Recruitment.

The Walk to School winners present at the celebrations were:

• Matisse Class, Challock Primary School, Ashford
• Almond Class, Willow Bank Primary School, Bexley
• Swift Class, Stone St Mary’s C of E Primary School, Dartford
• 5K Class, Wrotham Road Primary School, Gravesham
• Goldcrests Class, Vigo Village School, Gravesham
• Juniper Class, Lordswood School, Medway
• St Thomas Class, St Michael’s RC Primary Class, Medway
• Year 2, St Edward’s Catholic Primary Academy, Swale
• Willow Class, Lower Halstow School, Swale
• 4CL Class, Sussex Road Community Primary School, Tonbridge & Malling
• Meerkats Class, Cage Green Primary School, Tonbridge & Malling

The Buster’s Book Club winners were

• Owls Class, Bethersden Primary School, Ashford
• Class 5 Oxford, Herne CE (Aided) Junior School, Canterbury
• Loyalty Class, Priory Fields School, Dover
• Class R, Lenham Primary School, Maidstone
• B2JCP Class, The Marsh Academy, Folkestone & Hythe
• Elmer Class, Slade Primary School, Tonbridge & Malling
• Moonlight Class, Manorway Academy, Medway

To register for Active Wow for the 2019/20 academic year, visit www.KmCharityTeam.co.uk/Wow or email Kathy Beel at kbeel@inspireschools.org.uk or Ruth Lapka at Rlapka@inspireschools.org.uk or call 0844 264 0291.

To register for Buster’s Book Club for the 2018/19 academic year, visit www.bustersbookclub.co.uk or contact Kathy Beel or Kay Devine at kdevine@thekmgroup.co.uk.

And watch a video about the celebrations here: