Reading Force, the fun shared reading initiative for Armed Forces families in the UK and overseas, has just completed its first series of roadshows with award winning children’s author Tom Palmer and Jim Sells of The National Literacy Trust.

The roadshows brought reading to Service children and their families by visiting schools across the country from North Yorkshire to Wiltshire.

Tom Palmer, the award-winning football and rugby author, entertained children with fun-filled events including a penalty shoot-out and gave every child a signed copy of his book and a Reading Force scrapbook.

The after-school fetes proved very popular and included a reading selfie competition, great book swap, story challeng, and the chance for parents and children to speak with Tom, Jim, and Reading Force staff about reading and sharing books within the family.

Dr Alison Baverstock, founder and director of Reading Force, said: “The Reading Force Roadshows offered us the opportunity for direct contact with Forces families.

“Along with Tom and Jim, we visited ten schools with a high number of Service children. We were consistently overwhelmed by their enthusiasm for reading – and taking part in Reading Force.”

Reading Force encourages Service families to read the same book, talk about it and complete a scrapbook with their thoughts. Whether families are together at home or separated by deployments and training, taking part in Reading Force helps to improve communication, keep relatives close and help mitigate the stresses of Service life. Best of all, it is fun and free for all Forces families to take part.

To find out more, visit www.readingforce.org.uk

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