Contractor Chartwells offers Reading pupils taste of literary festival

Fourteen schoolchildren from Manor Primary and Emmer Green Primary school visited the annual festival, which includes events, sessions with world-class authors and speakers and creative writing courses. The children attended a private reading and interactive session with author and historian Christopher Lloyd based on the wallbook What on Earth Happened?, an illustrated story of our planet, life and people from the big bang to present day. Each pupil was given a signed copy of the book. Sally Windmill, regional manager for Chartwells in Reading said: "For the past two years Chartwells has joined forces with the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival to hold a nationwide letter writing competition – The Write Stuff – for children and young adults, encouraging passionate creative and imaginative writing around as aspect of food that inspires them. "We were delighted to bring Reading pupils to the festival for such a fantastic experience and Christopher Lloyd really engaged the children with his storytelling." She added that Chartwells had received hundreds of entries from young people all over the country, enthusing about meals they had eaten and fantasy feasts. The company has provided food services to 47 schools in Reading since 2006 and was awarded a new four-year contract with Reading Borough Council in 2010.