January 13 2026
Authors support launch of National Year of Reading
Authors and football personalities supported the official launch of the National Year of Reading at The Emirates, the home of London club Arsenal.
The nationwide initiative from the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust seeks to address the steep decline in the nation’s enjoyment of reading by inspiring people of all ages to ‘Go All In’ on the things they already love through reading in whatever way works for them, whether that’s print books or audiobooks, digital magazines or graphic novels.
To launch the initiative, former Arsenal and England footballer Theo Walcott, author, producer and TV presenter Richard Osman and children’s authors and illustrators Nadia Shireen and Jordan Glover joined local primary schoolchildren in a series of activities to spotlight how passions such as football can ignite a love of reading and lead to exciting jobs.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson officially launched the campaign alongside Chief Executive, Jonathan Douglas, and National Year of Reading Director, David Hayman.
Bridget said: “Some of my happiest childhood memories are of reading with my grandad, getting lost in The Chronicles of Narnia together. I want every child to feel that same joy, whether their passion is football, fantasy or physics.”
Jonathan said: “The National Year of Reading provides us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate the UK’s relationship with reading and change people’s life stories. Whether it’s a baby experiencing the magic of a picture book for the first time, a family listening to an audiobook on the school run, a teenager immersed in fan fiction or an adult reading the football pages on their commute, reading is for everyone.”
National Year of Reading ambassadors were also unveiled, committing to using their voices and platforms to help more children, young people and adults reconnect reading to their interests this year.
They include footballer and author Leah Williamson, authors Cressida Cowell, George the Poet, Michael Morpurgo, Julia Donaldson and Richard Osman, social media star Jack Edwards and fitness coach and author Joe Wicks.
Leah Williamson, Arsenal Women and England Lioness captain and children’s author, said: “The Go All In campaign is a massive moment for literacy in this country. Football is all about moments too. It’s all about chances. Waiting for them to arise and taking them when they do. The National Year of Reading 2026 is YOUR chance to really Go All In on your passions by reading into them. So, seize the moment and take that chance. Pick up a book, listen to an audiobook, get stuck into articles on whatever you love. It all counts. Because if you’re into it, read into it.”
You can find out more at https://literacytrust.org.uk/
Young school libraries help with preparations for National Year of Reading
Preparations are well under way for the beginning of the National Year of Reading 2026, which aims to tackle the steep decline in reading for enjoyment among readers of all ages.
The campaign is being run by the National Literacy Trust and the Department for Education under the rallying call Go All In, which was developed in collaboration with independent creative agency Fold7 to encourage people to adopt a new way of viewing reading.
Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: ‘Go All In captures exactly the kind of energy and optimism we need to transform how the nation sees reading. This is about making reading feel relevant, exciting and rewarding right now, not just in the future.’
The campaign builds on research that showed that the decline in reading and reading enjoyment is largely due to loss of motivation; just 9% of readers in a survey by the National Literacy Trust said that they believed that reading helps them spend time with others, and fewer than 1 in 5 said that it’helps them feel connected with the world.
Yelena Gaufman, Chief Strategy Officer at Fold7, said. ‘Reading doesn’t seem to offer the immediate, social rewards that motivate us today. It’s seen as slow, solitary, and studious in a world that values speed, status and spectacle. Historically, campaigns encouraging literacy have focused on the long-term benefits of reading – its ability to make you more knowledgeable, creative or successful. But these messages seem increasingly out of step with a culture that values immediate rewards and demands entertainment, right now.’
David Hayman, Director of the National Year of Reading, said: ‘Reading is one of the most powerful tools we have to connect, create and grow, but right now, too many people are switching off from it. We want to reimagine reading as something modern, meaningful and social. This campaign is about reaching people where they are and inviting them to rediscover the power - and joy - of reading.’
A large part of the campaign will be working with children and, as part of that, fifty pupils from 12 County Durham schools attended its first ever Pupil Librarian Conference at Durham’s Gala Theatre.
The schools had all taken part in the World of Stories – part of the Libraries for Primaries initiative – and the children were treated to a surprise visit from award-winning children’s author Jeff Kinney (pictured here), as part of his global tour promoting the 20th book in his popular Wimpy Kid series –Partypooper.
Each school that takes part in Libraries for Primaries is encouraged to appoint pupil librarians to support the running of their school library. Since the start of the Libraries for Primaries campaign in 2021, thousands of pupil librarians have been trained and are now championing reading.
Jeff Kinney appeared in person after tricking the children into believing he was joining via remote video link and the pupils and their teachers joined in a number of games in which they won hundreds of books and other prizes.
He said: ‘A school library is one of the first places a kid can really make their own choices. A kid can go in and pick out the thing that they like. You can make your own choices and a lot of the time, those choices that you make lead to interests, hobbies or even careers.’
Lucy Starbuck Braidley, Head of School Libraries at the National Literacy Trust, said:
‘Appointing pupil librarians in a primary school is a wonderful way to develop pupil’s leadership skills, literacy, and foster child-led community engagement in reading. When children are given opportunity to contribute to their library, it is often a transformative and empowering experience, creating a ripple effect in the school’s wider reading for pleasure culture.’
You can find out more at https://literacytrust.org.uk/
John Dean - Crime Writer 