A WEALTH of TV stars, sports stars and top children’s authors will be taking on a series of book-tastic sporting challenges as part of the #FitforLit Challenge this week to raise vital funds for the National Literacy Trust.

For more than 20 years, the National Literacy Trust has used the power of sport to motivate over a million children to improve their literacy skills. The charity is now channelling the passion and excitement surrounding sport into a new fundraising campaign to help improve the literacy and learning of disadvantaged children who have been most seriously impacted by Covid-19.

Participants

The #FitforLit Challenge, which runs for one week from 17-23 August, encourages the public to take on a sporting challenge of their choice with a literacy twist – from doing keepy uppies while balancing a book on your head to telling a funny story while skipping. Participants are then asked to upload their photos and videos to social media using the hashtag #FitforLit, donate £3 to the charity and nominate three friends to take on the challenge.

I’ve always loved reading and I’ve always loved sport so what the National Literacy Trust is doing to combine both to help support children affected by Covid-19 is amazing.

Ade Adepitan

Launching the fundraising campaign in spectacular style is a dream team of TV stars, sports stars and top children’s authors who will be sharing their challenges on their social media channels this week including Paralympic medallists Ade Adepitan MBE and Danielle Brown MBE are kicking off the challenge.

Ade said: “I’ve always loved reading and I’ve always loved sport so what the National Literacy Trust is doing to combine both to help support children affected by Covid-19 is amazing. I’ll be taking part and donating and so should you!”

Danielle added: “I’m really excited to be supporting the National Literacy Trust’s #FitforLit campaign. It’s bringing together two of my favourite things, sport and reading, whilst helping level the playing field for disadvantaged children whose literacy has been hugely affected by lockdown.

“Please join in by adding a fun literacy twist to your favourite sporty challenge, and remember to nominate friends and family on your social media channels to get involved too.”

Jim Sells, Sport and Literacy Programme Manager at the National Literacy Trust, said: “Not only does sport bring people together, teach us important values and boost our physical health, but it also has the power to transform children’s outcomes in the classroom.

Significant

I’ve seen first-hand how sport can inspire even the most reluctant children to get reading and writing. So after such a significant disruption to children’s literacy and learning as a result of COVID-19, we must do everything we can to support those who have fallen furthest behind.

“Our #FitforLit Challenge is simple, fun and can change a child’s life story – so let’s follow in the footsteps of our dream team of children’s authors and TV stars to get #FitforLit!”

The public can follow these simple steps to take part in the #FitforLit Challenge:

1.       Take on a sporting challenge of your choice with a literary twist

2.       Upload your photos or video to social media using the hashtag #FitforLit and tag the National Literacy Trust (@literacy_trust)

3.       Donate £3 by texting FITFORLIT to 70085 (text costs £3 + a standard rate message)

4.       Nominate three friends to take on the challenge