This week thousands of youngsters will be hitting the books and pounding the pavement in a bid to win a storytime with a star.

It’s all thanks to a competition open to schools signed up to reading reward scheme Buster’s Book Club or the KM Walk to School campaign, both run by the KM Charity Team.

To be in with a chance of winning, classes must make an extra effort to achieve their home reading targets or notch up the most impressive number of green journeys to school.

The prize up for grabs is a visit from Phil Gallagher, presenter of hit CBeebies programme Mister Maker, who will meet and greet the winning class and read them a story of their choice.

The contest comes during the KM Year of Reading 2019 campaign and National Storytelling Week. The latter began on January 26 and runs until February 2.

Literacy coordinator, Kay Devine, of the KM Charity Team, said: “We are thrilled to offer the children this fantastic prize. They absolutely adore Mister Maker and I have no doubt that the walk to school and reading figures will absolutely rocket!

“What better time to run this contest than during KM Year of Reading and of course National Storytelling Week when books and stories are quite rightly being celebrated nationwide.

“We can’t wait to reward the best or most improved class with their unforgettable prize in March.”

Former winners to receive a storytime with Phil Gallagher include Langdon primary school in Dover, Bapchild and Tonge CofE primary school in Sittingbourne, and Twydall primary school in Gillingham.

Organisations supporting the KM Charity Team’s green travel and literacy work with schools include Whites Transport, Ashford International Hotel, Volker Highways, Countrystyle Recycling, Eurostar, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Whitefriars, Gatwick Airport, The Ernest Cook Trust, Little Cheyne Court, Kent Community Foundation, Golding Vision, Orbit South, Specsavers, Leeds Castle, Rotary, Acorns Read and Grow, Crown Foundation, The Gibbons Trust, and the Kent, Medway, Maidstone, Ashford and Bexley councils.

The charity’s KM Walk to School campaign includes Super Wow (Walk on Wednesday) and Green Footsteps. Both schemes, along with Buster’s Book Club, work by motivating whole classes to achieve together. Each week, they compete for the Class of the Week Trophy for green travel or reading. Prizes for monthly inter-school challenges have included tickets to leisure attractions, storyteller sessions, theatre workshops, and falconry experiences.

KM Year of Reading is a partnership between KM Group and the KM Charity Team to promote a love of reading across Kent – in schools, clubs, and homes. Visit www.KmCharityTeam.co.uk/YearOfReading