Former England cricketer Freddie Flintoff has announced he will be fronting a new campaign to encourage fathers to play a bigger role in encouraging their children to read.
The campaign follows figures released by the National Literacy Trust showing one in six people in Britain cannot read or write as well as an 11-year-old.
Research conducted in August revealed one in five children found reading books 'embarrassing' and preferred reading text messages.
Flintoff teamed up with fatherhood website Daddy Be Good which launched the campaign with the belief fathers reading to their children could improve children's reading habits.
Father-of-three Flintoff said: “Helping parents and kids doesn’t have to involve huge schemes - it can be the simplest things that make the biggest difference. As a dad I try to read with my kids every day and I hope we can encourage as many dads as possible to do the same”.
Additional studies by the literacy trust found 62 per cent of children said their dads were their most important role models for reading but a study by Booktrust showed only 17 per cent of fathers read to their children.
To kick-start the campaign, dads can register for a free copy of 'Meet Wenlock and Mandeville', adapted by former children's laureate Michael Morpugo.
Ed Owen, editor of DaddyBeGood - which launched on Father's Day last June - said, “While we certainly never want to be preachy about fatherhood, reading books to your children, regardless of their age, is such a beneficial thing; inspiring them and helping them to get ahead in life. We’re thrilled that Freddie is helping us spread that message.”