Luton airport teams up with comedian Olaf Falafal to create free graphic novel for children
Luton Airport has teamed up with an author and comedian to create a graphic novel to get children into the holiday spirit before take-off.
Olaf Falafel, based in Luton, wrote 26 minutes to Save Summer as part of the airport's Summer Resort Programme.
A report from the airport's charity partner, National Literacy Trust, revealed reading enjoyment among eight to 12-year-olds has fallen by more than 20 per cent in the last decade.
Two-thirds of children feel pressure to stay productive during the break and, rather than switching off, children spend their summer holidays focused on goals and achievements. This campaign encourages families to swap “summer-maxxing” for a “pagecation” by reading.
Year 4 pupils from Luton primary schools were invited to design a character for the story. The winning class from Farley Junior Academy visited the airport, met Olaf and saw the finished graphic novel before its public release.
Olaf said: “Nobody needs another thing to achieve during the summer holidays. Sometimes the best thing you can do is switch off and get lost in a story – preferably a funny one.
“I loved comics as a kid, and they opened up my imagination completely, so I hope this helps children travelling through London Luton Airport see reading as something joyful, not something they have to tick off a list.”
Written exclusively for the airport, 26 Minutes to Save Summer follows Average Joe and his sidekick Robo Snail as they try to stop the villainous Dr Prodktiv from fast-forwarding the summer holidays in the name of efficiency.
Clare Armstrong, head of guest experience at London Luton Airport, said: “The best holidays start before you board the plane, when families begin to relax, have fun and feel like the adventure has already started.
“By partnering with Olaf to create this amazing graphic novel and distributing more than 2,000 free copies, we’re giving families who fly from LLA this summer a fun and easy way to switch into holiday mode before take-off.”
More than 2,000 free copies of 26 Minutes to Save Summer are available to families travelling from the airport.