Vending machine swaps snacks for books at school in Brecon

  • ITV Wales' Marina Jenkins reports from Brecon.

Children at a school in Brecon are being encouraged to read more books thanks to a new vending machine where they will find Charlie and the Chocolate Factory instead of sweet snacks.

The idea came about at The Priory Church in Wales School in Brecon to boost the number of reading hours.

Pupils can earn a golden ticket to spend at the vending machine, while they are also given the special currency on their birthday.

It comes as a new report from The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed Wales is the poorest performing UK nation for reading, maths and science.

Acting head teacher Claire Pugh thought the vending machine would be a fun way to encourage reading and ensure books were accessible to everyone.

The vending machine has been a hit new arrival at the primary school thanks to a grant of £1,895 from the Green Man Trust.

Schoolchildren are enjoying the new facility Credit: ITV Wales

Claire said: "We have a very high level of children who receive free school meals at the moment and children within a school with additional learning needs, so to actually be able to give the children something on their birthday with all that community and family spirit together really means a lot.

"It's about us investing everything back in our little people because they are our future."

The Green Man Fund, much like the annual music and arts festival, supports creative and community-led projects.

Fiona Stewart, owner and managing director of Green Man Group, said: "We were really impressed by the ingenuity and creativity around the project. It was such an amazing way of re-engaging children. We absolutely had to say yes to it."

Teachers and family members are now fundraising to buy new books to replenish the shelves for a new chapter next year.

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