Two leading suppliers of affordable homes are encouraging local youngsters to become reading millionaires.

Circle Housing Russet and Golding Homes are helping schools to join Buster’s Book Club, the KM reading initiative aimed at boosting child literacy levels and creating a whole generation of bookworms.

The scheme challenges pupils to reach their set home reading target and offers a variety of prizes and incentives to keep them focused on their goal. They compete in inter-class and inter-school reading competitions culminating in an annual record attempt to earn their place in the Reading Millionaires’ Club.

This summer participating schools celebrated collectively achieving a whopping 2,001,639 minutes of home reading.

Circle Housing Russet which manages 7,000 properties in Tonbridge and Malling is a key supporter of Buster’s Book Club which is currently used in 35 primary schools across the county. The backing of the social landlord is enabling schools in district to join the home reading scheme at a significant discount.

Maidstone schools also enjoy a greatly reduced price when signing up this term thanks to the support of Golding Homes. Any school in the county registering by December 17 will also receive 30 child entry tickets to popular Kent leisure attraction Canterbury Tales.

Simon Dolby of Buster’s Book Club said: “Thanks to businesses like Circle Housing Russet and Golding Homes we can offer this fantastic scheme at less than half price per class. And it’s not too late for schools to sign up – they have until the end of this term to get their applications in.”

Other organisations championing the literacy initiative include Kent County Council, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Mini Babybel, Medway Council, Orbit South, Specsavers and Leeds Castle.

For more information or to register, visit www.bustersbookclub.co.uk.