The London Book Fair (LBF) has announced that the nominated Charity of the Year for 2026 will be the nine charities underpinning the National Year of Reading. The news comes as the fair shares additional seminar program highlights for this year’s edition.
The nine charities that will form the cohort of charities of the year are—The National Literacy Trust, The Reading Agency, BookTrust, Bookmark Reading Charity, Chapter One, Coram Beanstalk, Fair Education Alliance, The Queen’s Reading Room and World Book Day.
A department for education initiative, the National Year of Reading was developed in collaboration with partners across the literacy sector, and aims to encourage people of all ages to read for pleasure. The campaign is a response to declining reading enjoyment among young people and aims to increase literacy, boost wellbeing, and build a culture where “reading is for everyone”.
The nine charities will have a dedicated stand on the floor space at the Fair, to use as part of their involvement with the National Year of Reading. In addition, they will feature in the seminar program in a session taking place in The Salon on Tuesday 10 March and featuring: Dame Gail Rebuck, chair of Penguin Random House UK; David Hayman, director of the National Year of Reading, and representatives from the National Year of Reading delivery charities.
David Hayman, director of the National Year of Reading, said, “We’re delighted that the National Year of Reading, together with the nine delivery charities behind the campaign, have been chosen as The London Book Fair Charity of the Year. This recognition reflects the spirit of collaboration across the entire industry that sits at the heart of the campaign and underpins its success. The Go All In campaign is about reimagining what reading can look like and where it belongs. Through this unique charity partnership, we are opening new and creative ways for people to encounter and enjoy reading in their everyday lives. By meeting people where they are, we can spark curiosity, unlock creativity, and help reading feel relevant, accessible, and exciting again. Crucially, this year is not an endpoint. Our ambition is to create a lasting legacy, building habits, confidence, and a lifelong love of reading that will continue well beyond 2026.”
Emma Lowe, director of The London Book Fair, said, “We are thrilled to be appointing the nine charities supporting the National Year of Reading as our Charities of the Year for 2026. The National Year of Reading is a call to arms to make reading more accessible, to more people – irrespective of age, background and skills. Do make sure to visit their stand at the Fair, and their dedicated session on the Seminar Programme will be just one of the many occasions we’ll have to discuss this important nation-wide campaign. Our Seminar Programme overall is packed with insightful sessions, from book-to-screen adaptations to Japanese literature, diversity and inclusion to global book trends in the past year. With just over a month to go, we can’t wait to welcome everyone back for another unmissable Fair.”
The National Year of Reading will feature prominently across the Seminar Programme, with speakers including: Lord Paul Boateng, Vice Patron of Book Aid International; Joanna Prior, CEO of Pan Macmillan; Tom Weldon, CEO of Penguin Random House; Sanjee de Silva, Publisher at Sweet Cherry Publishing, and more. From discussions around the role of libraries and bookshops in the National Year of Reading, to the introduction of the Young Voices Network, to the National Year of Reading drinks at the end of the first day of the Fair, LBF will be the stage for crucial conversations on the industry can foster a love for reading across all generations.
