A Kent shopping centre has announced it will be supporting three important educational initiatives in the year ahead.

Whitefriars in Canterbury has made a year-long commitment to support the KM Charity Team’s Walk to School Campaign, reading reward scheme Buster’s Book Club, and the Kent Literacy Awards.

Announcing the centre’s backing for the schemes, Whitefriars director Peter Scutt said: “Whitefriars is delighted to be working again with the KM Charity Team and supporting the Kent Literacy Awards, Buster’s Book Club and Walk to School.

“These things are really important to us because they involve children, who, of course, have parents who are our customers. We are part of the community they are part of. These young people are going to be our customers in the future. And really it’s us giving something back, and helping to work with the community for the benefit of all of us.”

KM Charity Team chief executive Simon Dolby said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be working with Whitefriars for the coming year to boost health, road safety and literacy levels of children in Kent.”

The educational charity’s schemes include Super Wow, which encourages families to walk, cycle, scooter or Park and Stride to school, with classes competing each week to be awarded the Green Class of the Week Trophy or tickets to local leisure attractions.

Buster’s Book Club is a reading reward scheme encouraging children to read extra at home, with classes competing to win through a triple challenge that includes visits by storytellers.

Find out more at www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk or www.bustersbookclub.co.uk or by contacting 0844 264 0291.

The Kent Literacy Awards recognise schools’ groundbreaking work in promoting reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Find out more at www.kentliteracyawards.co.uk.

Mr Scutt added: “These initiatives are really important and have such a touchstone for local issues – getting people to walk to school with their parents, taking traffic of the roads and easing congestions makes life that much more pleasant for all of us.

“And the reading initiative is just so important: to try to encourage and get young people to explore and to understand the pleasures they can get from reading a book is just marvellous.