We are excited that soon we’ll start working with the National Literacy Trust and create a new Story Quest project in the Waterside area.
Story Quest is a trial bringing together literacy and physical activity to help families develop active lifestyles and enjoy reading together. Running for approximately 2.5km through the Waterside, it will include local characters and both physical and written challenges for families to enjoy on the way.
The Gang Warily Story Quest by well-known local author/illustrator Simon Chadwick, is co-designed with children from local Primary Schools. It is a fun trail adventure of Gang Warily Park which includes lovable characters and both physical and written challenges for families to enjoy on the way.
Families will be able to complete the trail at a time of their choosing by visiting Gang Warily Recreation Centre, Newlands Road, Blackfield, SO45 1GA to collect their quest.
Supported by Sport England, Culture in Common, and produced by the National Literacy Trust, the story has been written for primary school-aged children to read together with their parents/guardians, and the walks are suitable for all levels of fitness.
We hope the Story Quest can provide a free fun local activity while the cost of living crisis puts spending money on activities out of reach for many families. Our recent street surveys in Totton and the Waterside showed that families had an interest in walking, wanted to see more local entertainment for children and families, and to take part in flexible, informal activities that are free/value for money.
What people say
Participants in Story Quests elsewhere in the country have said:
- “Encouraging the kids to read more, sometimes it can be a bit difficult to get them to read. So, getting them out and reading at the same time is a benefit.”
- “I think it just gives that motivation to the kids to walk a little bit further. Because you’re stopping to look at things and look at a story, they don’t like, get fed up, compared to if you just took them for a walk.”
Free interactive story trail arrives in the New Forest for families to enjoy over the summer holidays
The National Literacy Trust has launched a new self-guided story trail in Gang Warily Recreation Centre, the New Forest, for families to enjoy over the summer holidays.
The free, interactive trail, named The Lake Monster of Gang Warily, has been written and illustrated by local author Simon Chadwick and co-created by local primary school children. It is the latest trail from the National Literacy Trust’s Story Quest programme, designed to inspire families to read more together and support their children’s literacy skills while exploring their local area, funded by the Sport England Together Fund.
The National Literacy Trust and partners Energise Me, Culture in Common, and New Forest District Council recently hosted a special launch event for children from Cadland Primary School and Blackfield Primary School – the schools that helped to create the story and its characters.
Author Simon Chadwick led the children along the trail, before hosting an illustration workshop where they learned how to draw charming characters. The children were enthralled by the activity, saying they would be ‘coming back and bringing their friends to do it again.’
The latest research from the National Literacy Trust shows that children’s reading enjoyment is currently at one of the lowest levels recorded: less than half of children aged 8 – 18 (47.8%) said that they enjoy reading1. Creating immersive story adventures is a great way to engage children in the joy of reading and build positive experiences around books. Children who enjoy reading are more likely to do well in school and have strong literacy skills which will support them for the rest of their lives.
Lois Bateman, from the National Literacy Trust, says: “We’re so excited to bring Story Quest to the New Forest for the summer holidays, giving families a free activity to enjoy together outdoors. Story trails are a brilliant way to encourage children and their families to see reading in a new light by exploring their community spaces and getting active. By nurturing these positive interactions with literacy-based activity, we can help children to develop the skills they need to succeed in life.”
As well as engaging literacy skills the quest is designed to encourage children to complete physical activity challenges along the way. The recent Active Lives Survey2 shows that less than half of school-aged children are reaching the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day across the New Forest. Children that take part in daily physical activity benefit from improved concentration skills, higher levels of school attainment, and a boost to their mental well-being.
Jacqui Ibbotson, Programme Director for Culture in Common at Energise Me, says: “The New Forest is home to some beautiful parks, such as Gang Warily, which are close to residential areas and offer a lot for local families to enjoy. Partnering with Story Quest was the perfect way for us to blend arts with getting outside, appreciating nature, and enjoying the benefits of physical activity. We were thrilled that local school children were involved in sharing their ideas with Simon Chadwick before he wrote the story – children have such great imaginations and Simon brought them to life.”
Cllr Dan Poole, NFDC Portfolio Holder for Communities, Safety and Wellbeing, said: “Bringing together local school children and a local author, to create a unique StoryQuest trail has been great. It has allowed us to support local artists, local schools, and local families. The children have co-created this story, with their imagination and knowledge shaping the whole thing. We know that being active outdoors is good for your mental and physical well-being. We hope this work will encourage families to explore the local area, as they follow the story and take part in the activities that are in the book. Copies of the story can be picked up or downloaded for free to make it a cheap activity for families over the summer holidays.”
The Lake Monster of Gang Warily trail is now available for families to pick up from Gang Warily Recreation Centre and Hythe Library or Download from Story Quest – The Lake Monster of Gang Warily | Culture In Common
