OVER 1,000 Clackmannanshire kids have benefitted from an initiative aimed at promoting literacy among young children.

Clacks and Dunblane MSP Keith Brown has praised the First Minister’s Read, Write, Count programme saying it helped "improve literacy and encourage a new generation of readers”.

Figures show well over a thousand Primary two and three children in his constituency have received free books under the scheme.

Read, Write, Count with the First Minister encourages families to include fun and easy reading, writing, and counting activities in their everyday lives.

During Book Week Scotland, the Scottish Book Trust distributes Read, Write, Count bags, which contain two books, to Primary 2 and Primary 3 pupils across the country.

Mr Brown said: “The First Minister’s Read, Write, Count programme is helping to improve literacy and encourage a new generation of readers in Clackmannanshire & Dunblane, and I am delighted that, as shown in these recently released figures, well over a thousand P2 and P3 school children in my constituency have received free books from the Scottish Book Trust as part of the programme.

“Books can open doors to new worlds of information and imagination for young people and a love of books is something that will stay with them their whole lives.

“Sitting alongside other successful initiatives like Baby Boxes, the Scottish Child Payment and Best Starts Grants, the First Minister’s Read, Write, Count programme is helping to give every child in my constituency – and across Scotland – the best start in life they can have."