GREG JAMES VISITS THE CRESSET

Radio One breakfast host Greg James visited the cresset this week to encourage local kids to discover the joy of reading.

Hundreds of Peterborough pupils were at the special event with Greg James and Chris Smith the newly announced National Year of Reading ambassadors.

Nearly 700 pupils from schools across Peterborough gathered at The Cresset Theatre on Tuesday for a fun-filled day with the bestselling children’s authors.

It’s all part of the National Literacy Trust's mission to empower children in Peterborough to discover the joys of reading, and saw the author duo bring the excitement of their new book, Secret Santa, to pupils from 16 local primary schools with an interactive storytelling session.

Greg and Chris told local pupils all about how Santa Claus gets recruited by the Secret Service one dark and cold December as their newest secret agent, Treble-Ho Seven.

Puffin also donated copies of Secret Santa (out now) to each participating school, giving pupils the opportunity to continue the fun and inspire reading for pleasure back in the classroom.

Becky Marrs, Manager for the National Literacy Trust in Peterborough, said: “We hope that the impact of Greg and Chris’ visit goes beyond just today’s event, inspiring the children to develop their love of reading, which will support their literacy skills and learning, as well as benefiting their wellbeing, confidence, and empathy.”

Greg and Chris said: “Speaking to young readers at events is one of our favourite experiences as authors and we always hope to make children laugh, feel inspired and generally have a joyful experience celebrating the fun and magic of stories. So it feels particularly fitting that the very first event for our new book is partnered with the National Literacy Trust in this National Year of Reading – of which we are proud to be ambassadors.

"It’s incredibly important that children have the opportunity to find books about topics they truly enjoy, and we hope that Secret Santa will resonate with any young readers who loves Christmas or a good old spy story.”

The National Literacy Trust has made a longstanding commitment to supporting communities facing the biggest barriers with literacy in Peterborough, empowering local children, young people and families with the literacy skills they need to succeed in life.

Find out more information about the National Literacy Trust’s work in Peterborough here: www.literacytrust.org.uk/communities/peterborough/