Scottish Book Trust has announced ten schools who will receive fully-funded author residencies this school year to inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing – and one of the ten is Leith’s Hermitage Park Primary School.
The residencies will also give professional writers the opportunity to build relationships with the school and work together on a creative project.
The Live Literature School Residencies Programme, now in its fourth year, is funded by the Walter Scott Giving Group and delivered by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing.
Hermitage Park Primary in Edinburgh has been selected for a Live Literature School Residency working with journalist and writer Daniel Gray.
His latest title, Black Boots and Football Pinks (Bloomsbury) explores the lost wonders of football. Daniel is also a copywriter, BBC screenwriter, researcher, TV presenter, event chair, podcaster, and video maker.
Schools across the country were invited to apply to the programme which brings professional authors into the classroom to inspire and engage pupils. Each school taking part in the programme will receive 12 fully-funded residency sessions carried out by an author from Scottish Book Trust’s author directory. It includes over 600 professional writers, poets, playwrights, illustrators, performance poets and storytellers.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “It’s wonderful to see schools across the country, from the Scottish Borders to Orkney, taking up the opportunity of a Live Literature residency.
“Every year, we see the fantastic work that writers, illustrators, storytellers and more achieve during the term, and the long-lasting and positive impact a residency can have on pupils and the wider reading culture within a school. Thank you to the Walter Scott Giving Group for continuing to fund this inspirational programme.”
Daniel Gray (below) said: “I am absolutely delighted to be undertaking this residency. We’re going to explore the social history of the school and surroundings, bring Hermitage Park Primary pupils past and present together and then help pupils tell the stories they find through a number of methods – written, film and podcast. I can’t wait to get started.”
Lisa Black, Depute Headteacher at Hermitage Park Primary School, said: “Hermitage Park Primary are thrilled to be working with Daniel Gray.
“As a writer, social historian and broadcaster, and Leither himself, his expertise will be invaluable in creating our ‘110 – Hermie Now and Then: an intergenerational story‘ told in film, podcast and print (below).” 
The residencies will run across the 2019-20 school year and finish by Easter 2020. The Walter Scott Giving Group is the sole funder of the Live Literature School Residencies Programme and this is the fourth year they have financed it. As well as an author residency, schools will receive a resources grant of £500.
Each school’s project will be showcased on Scottish Book Trust’s website, alongside suggested learning resources and helpful tips to make the most of the residency sessions.
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