Children’s ‘Little Book of Travel Tales’ launched by East Midlands Airport to mark the start of the summer season
- Short stories and poems about travel have been written by local school children for a new book published by East Midlands Airport
- Books also include a range of fun puzzles and activities and will be handed out to children travelling through East Midlands Airport during the Easter holidays
A cheeky parrot at the airport, dreaming about idyllic holiday settings, ambitions to be a pilot and flying above the clouds, are just some of the themes explored by children who have written short stories and poems for a new book published by East Midlands Airport called the ‘Little Book of Travel Tales’.
Earlier this year, East Midlands Airport invited children from schools across the region to submit stories and poems to be included the book. The airport received 76 entries from 12 schools. The final edition of the book includes 12 stories and poems written by children from seven local schools, which are:
- Asterdale Primary School
- Chellaston Academy
- English Martyrs Catholic Voluntary Academy, Long Eaton
- Fairfield Spencer Academy
- Landau Forte College, Derby
- Newcroft Primary Academy
- Shardlow Primary School
The authors whose stories made the final edition were informed on World Book Day last month, and received £50 book vouchers for their school libraries. But, today, (Wednesday 5 April) the children visited the airport and handed out copies of the books to passengers flying away for Easter.
The Little Book of Travel Tales, which also includes puzzles and fun activities, is for children and their families who use the airport thio summer.
The story writing initiative is part of EMA’s programme of education and outreach which is delivered through the airport’s Aerozone. This bespoke on-site education facility runs a programme of events throughout the year designed to inspire and enthuse young people about the airport, aviation and future careers within the sector. The airport has a strong relationship with local schools and works with them on projects ranging from skills development to environmental projects.
East Midlands Airport’s Head of Education, Skills and Employment, Marcella MRabety, said: “We were blown away by the quality and variety of entries we received for the ‘Little Book of Travel Tales’ and are very grateful to participating schools and their pupils.
“Literacy is a vital skill and we’re delighted to have played a role in encouraging children to discover the joy of reading and writing. Through our education programme, we were able to tap into youngsters’ enthusiasm for travel and adventure. I know the pupils involved all had a great deal of fun writing the stories and poems, and I hope our passengers get just as much enjoyment from reading them.”