The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Football-loving Angus youngsters set reading goal in new book challenge
Match tickets up for grabs in win-win opportunity
Forfar Athletic and Arbroath football clubs have teamed up in a pioneering pilot project encouraging children to foster a fondness for reading through their love of sport.
In an initiative involving the SPFL Trust and Scottish Book Trust, the Loons and Lichties are working in partnership with 14 SPFL clubs and local libraries to deliver the 4-4-2 Reading Challenge which aims to inspire five to 12-year-olds to read four books in exchange for match tickets.
Participating youngsters are given a challenge card and for every book read they receive a stamp on it.
When they have read four books, they receive a free match ticket for a home league match at Station Park or Gayfield, with an accompanying adult able to purchase a discounted ticket.
Despite only being a test project, more than 200 libraries across 11 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities have signed up.
Those involved say the project could be extended to cover the whole country if the initiative is a winner.
Funding for the 4-4-2 Reading Challenge has been provided by the SPFL, backed by a visual campaign featuring the drawings of Edinburghbased Danish illustrator Anders Frang.
SPFL Trust chief executive Nicky Reid said: “The 4-4-2 Reading Challenge initiative is designed to encourage children who don’t regularly visit the library or sport to do so. As such, we think it’s a real win-win opportunity.
Forfar Athletic chairman Ken Stewart said: “We are pleased to be part of the SPFL with the challenge and hope it is warmly received by our young people.
“Forfar Athletic Football Club have been delighted by the support and enthusiasm we have received from the Angus Alive libraries and Angus Council to help make this challenge a success.”
Arbroath FC director Anne McKeown said: “I can’t think of a better way to encourage a love of reading in our young people than through sport.”