In celebration of the National Year of Reading, Great Western Railway (GWR) has today introduced Short-Story Dispensers at key stations across its network, encouraging children to continue reading throughout the summer holidays.
At just the click of a button, the dispensers will print one of a variety of folklore tales for free. They will share stories from Line to Legend Land, a 100-year-old collection of much-loved myths and legends featuring dragons, mermaids, giants and fairies from the South West and Wales.
The Short-Story Dispensers can be found at Bristol, Exeter St Davids, Cardiff Central, London Paddington and Oxford from today. The tales from Line to Legend include: The Miracle Dolphin of Mevagissey by Michael Murpugo, King Arthur’s Camelot, The White Horse of Uffington, and The Faeries of Pennard Castle.
The initiative comes in response to new research commissioned by GWR, which shines a light on the impact the long summer break can have on children’s reading habits and development. One in five parents report that their children’s reading levels and confidence drop during the summer holidays, without the structure and routine of the school term.
