A wealth of TV stars, sports stars and top children’s authors are 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. 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. Launching the fundraising campaign in spectacular style is a dream team of TV stars, sports stars and top children’s authors who have shared their challenges on their social media channels: · Ade Adepitan MBE (@AdeAdepitan), Paralympian, TV presenter, journalist and author is featuring his Cyborg Cat books (Piccadilly Press) in a sporting challenge · Danielle Brown MBE (@danibrownmbe), two time Paralympic Gold Medallist, author of Be Your Best Self (Button Books) and keynote speaker is taking on an archery challenge and her co-author Nathan Kai is standing in a tree pose, both while reading a chapter of their book · Matt Smith (@msmith850), broadcaster and BT Sport presenter, is reading a book whilst riding his turbo trainer bike · Matt Oldfield (@footieheroesbks), whose book Unbelievable Football (Wren & Rook, Hachette Children’s) won the inaugural Telegraph Children’s Sports Book of the Year Award is reading while doing keepy uppies · Justin Somper (@JustinSomper) Bestselling VAMPIRATES author who is no stranger to penning cliffhangers is reading from his books whilst suspended from his new at-home rock climber’s hangboard · Tom Palmer (@tompalmerauthor), award-winning children’s author, will be running in the footsteps of characters from his much-loved title Armistice Runner (Barrington Stoke), fell running up a mountain at the side of Lake Windermere · Dave Cousins (@DaveCousins9000), children’s author and illustrator best known for his Charlie Merrick’s Misfits series (OUP), is reading aloud a chapter of his new book A Robot Ate My Grandma (Little Tiger Press) while running on Barmouth Beach in Gwynedd, Wales. · Tamsin Cooke (@TamsinCooke1) author of The Scarlet Files and Stunt Double series has set up a slalom of books to roller-skate around · Michaela Morgan (@MichaelamorganM) poet and author of Respect! (Barrington Stoke Ltd) performs a poem about all the things you can do with a book to inspire others to get involved Every penny raised from the #FitforLit Challenge will help the National Literacy Trust level the playing field for disadvantaged children by funding books, resources and programmes that will help them catch up with their literacy and learning when they return to school in September. Ade Adepitan MBE, 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 Brown MBE, said: “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. 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 To find out more about the #FitforLit Challenge and to take part, visit literacytrust.org.uk/fitforlit or head to the charity’s Twitter, Instagram or Facebook pages Find out more about the National Literacy Trust’s work to improve children’s literacy through sport: literacytrust.org.uk/sport