TEN schools in Gloucestershire are taking part in a Nailsworth-based charity's first national mass sponsored read.

More than 2,000 pupils have launched head-first into tales of unfortunate events, wizards and hungry caterpillars.

The ten schools that comprise the Diocese of Gloucester’s Academies Trust (DGAT) are all supporting the Gloucestershire-based charity, Readathon, with a two-week sponsored read.

Beginning in the run up to World Book Day (Thursday, March 2), children will be sponsored to read anything and everything - with 20 per cent of their sponsorship total funding books for their own school libraries.

The rest is used by Readathon to support its work bringing books and stories into all of the UK’s main children’s hospitals, including Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Readathon has been giving schools the tools and motivation to read for fun through its sponsored read for more than 30 years.

The first chair of the Nailsworth-based charity was Roald Dahl.

This is the first time that a cluster of schools have joined together to run a multi-school Readathon.

Readathon chief executive, Justine Daniels said: "The DGAT schools share our belief that reading for fun should be weaved into a child’s day wherever possible.

"We love the costumes, the artwork and book buzz on World Book Day and it's brilliant that the DGAT schools are making sure their pupils are actually reading too."

DGAT chief executive Rachel Howie said: "We are delighted to be working with Readathon.

"We're always looking for new ways to excite children about reading.

"The events are being organised by the children themselves and they are really looking forward to getting started.

"Readathon’s loop of getting children reading in schools in order to fund brand new books and storyteller visits for hospitalised children is really powerful.

"We’re proud to be the first academy trust in the country to run Readathon in this way."

Visit www.readathon.org for more information about Readathon and to order a free resource kit for your school.

The participating schools are:

Dursley Church of England Primary Academy

Field Court Church of England (Infant) Academy

Hardwicke Parochial Academy

Lakefield Church of England Primary School

Longney Church of England Primary Academy

Minchinhampton Church of England Primary Academy

North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy

Primrose Hill Church of England Primary Academy

Whiteshill School

Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Primary School