Directors of a major Kent company are appealing for schools to showcase initiatives they use to promote literacy.

More than 20 directors from Specsavers branches across the county used their management conference this week to join the appeal to promote KM’s Year of Reading Campaign.

Simon Dolby, chief executive of educational charity the KM Charity Team, briefed senior staff on the success of the reading reward scheme Buster’s Book Club. This week the 30,000 children involved with the initiative passed a major milestone with more than six million minutes of reading collectively read in the county.

But it was the Kent Literacy Awards that Specsavers staff were most passionate about with directors publicly appealing for schools to nominate initiatives that develop reading, writing, speaking or listening skills.

Mr Dolby said: “KM’s Year of Reading Campaign has a number of strands to it and one of the most important is the Kent Literacy Awards, which will showcase the best ideas and initiatives used in local schools.

“Specsavers directors are passionate supporters of the literacy work we deliver in schools and have pledged to help promote the nomination drive this month, for which we are very grateful.”

Joining Specsavers on the judging panel of the Kent Literacy Awards are Coram Beanstalk, the Crown Foundation, Golding Vision, McCabe Ford Williams, Tribeca Technology Group, University of Kent, Reed Education, The Education People, KM Facilities Management and Hempstead House.

The management conference was held at the Ashford International Hotel.

To find out more about the Kent Literacy Awards, or to nominate your school, visit www.KentLiteracyAwards.co.uk before noon on May 1.