A new literacy initiative to encourage children to read more at home will be formally launched next month.

Buster's Book Club has been created by the charity department at the KM Group and was piloted at 10 primary schools last academic year. The scheme impressed council chiefs with its impact as more than 500,000 minutes of home reading were achieved by the 3,000 pupils involved with the pilot.

This week school literacy leaders are being sent an information pack to brief them on the initiative, along with an invitation to attend the formal launch of the scheme at the KM Charity Team Forum on Friday, October 3 at the Mercure, Great Danes Hotel, Maidstone.

Buster's Book Club provides a series of inter-class and inter-school reading challenges culminating in a record attempt for participating children to amass the biggest number of home reading minutes possible. It is supported by engaging wall charts, badges and resources to trumpet star readers.

Top and most improved classes are rewarded with tickets to Leeds Castle, Silver Blades ice skating rink or a visit by a storyteller.

Alison Floyd, Early Years Improvement Adviser at KCC, said: "Many schools in the county have found Buster's Book Club highly instrumental in involving families in getting the reading habit. This initiative would be an excellent use of pupil premium funding, as the impact of the scheme is measurable and impact can be clearly shown."

The literacy initiative is supported by Specsavers, KCC, Orbit South, Golding Homes, Three R's teacher recruitment agency and Leeds Castle.

Schools wanting to find out more can attend the KM Charity Team Forum by visiting www.kmcharityteam.co.uk and clicking on the event booking tab. Visit the website to download an information brochure about Buster's Book Club.

For monthly updates straight into your inbox, sign up for the e-newsletters available at www.kmcharityteam.co.uk. Scroll to the bottom of the website's home page and register for the School Link e-newsletter (for schools), KM Link (for families) or Charity Link (for good causes).