Primary school children in Luton are being given the chance to see their imagination brought to life in a new graphic novel written by local author and comedian Olaf Falafel, with free copies to be distributed to families travelling through Luton Airport.
Luton Airport has teamed up with the Luton-based writer, illustrator and children’s stand-up comedian to launch a competition for Year 4 pupils across 12 primary schools in the town.
Children aged eight and nine have been challenged to create a character that will feature in 32 Minutes to Save Summer, a new graphic novel written and illustrated by Olaf Falafel and commissioned by the airport, to be published before the summer holidays.
The competition forms part of the National Year of Reading, a campaign led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust aimed at encouraging more people to discover the enjoyment of reading.
Olaf Falafel said: “Luton is a town filled with character, creativity, and its own unique challenges – it’s also the place I call home so I was absolutely honoured when I was asked to inspire the children of Luton to pick up a book and start reading. As a comedian, I’m definitely biased, but I believe funny books and comics can be a wonderful gateway into a much larger world of reading. Once reading becomes fun, it stops feeling like homework and starts becoming something children choose for themselves and that can stay with them for life. That is something truly valuable for the young people of Luton.”
The initiative builds on Luton Airport’s literacy work through its three-year charity partnerships with the National Literacy Trust and Luton-based youth charity Tokko Youth Hub.
The airport says fundraising efforts by staff and passengers have so far benefited 61,000 children, funded more than 210,000 books and supported the training of almost 240 Literacy Champions in local communities.
Alberto Martin, chief executive officer of Luton Airport, said: “Reading and storytelling play an important role in helping young people build confidence, creativity and ambition, and London Luton Airport is delighted to ‘go all in’ for the National Year of Reading by teaming up with Olaf for this exciting competition. It’s a fun and exciting way to encourage children across Luton to get excited about books and to be part of something truly unique, demonstrating our commitment to place literacy at the heart of our work with the community.”
Lisa Rootes, head of partnerships at the National Literacy Trust, said: “Through partnerships like this one between the National Literacy Trust and London Luton Airport, we are helping children from socio-economically disadvantaged communities in and around Luton discover the joy of reading. By giving them opportunities to engage with stories, use their imagination, access books, and connect with local authors, we are nurturing a lifelong love of reading and empowering them with the literacy skills, confidence, and creativity they need to succeed.”
The competition comes shortly after Luton Airport received the National Literacy Trust’s Literacy Changemakers Award, recognising its contribution to helping more children and young people develop literacy skills.
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