New Zealand supermodel Rachel Hunter has joined a programme to give away thousands of books to primary schools to encourage more reading to children.
Hunter, the Storylines Trust and the Tip Top ice cream brand have offered $50,000 worth of books in small parcels to primary schools to encourage more people to read aloud to children.
The trust said if the offer was over-subscribed priority would be given to low-decide schools.
Trust chairwoman Dr Libby Limbrick said reading aloud to children was important to encourage children to be good readers and love reading.
At the launch of the programme in Hautapu Primary School near Cambridge, today, Hunter was given a new copy of her favourite children's book, the Tales of Jeremy Fisher by Beatrix Potter, first published in 1906.
Hunter later visited a dairy farm near Hamilton to help out with the milking.
NZPA