Leah Williamson and Richard Osman return to National Year of Reading | books

Leah Williamson, Michael Morpurgo, Julia Donaldson and Richard Osman are among those who have thrown their weight behind a new nationwide campaign to get people to read for pleasure, as the government and the National Literacy Trust launch the National Year of Reading.

The year-long campaign, called Go All In, aims to reverse what organizers have described as a “worrying decline” in the enjoyment of reading among children and young people. Only one in three children between the ages of 8 and 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time. Only 26% of boys read for pleasure, compared to 39% of girls. More than a quarter of children leave primary school without reaching the reading age of 11.

Unveiled on Tuesday at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, the campaign brings together schools, families, libraries, businesses and cultural organisations, alongside a high-profile group of ambassadors including England women’s football team captain Williamson, authors Osman and Cressida Cowell, musician and writer George El Shaer, and actor Patterson Joseph, among others.

Launching the initiative, Education Minister Bridget Phillipson said reading was central to her childhood. “Some of my happiest childhood memories are reading with my grandfather and getting lost in the Chronicles of Narnia together,” she said. “I want every child to feel the same joy, whether their passion is football, fantasy, or physics.”

Phillipson described reversing the decline in reading for pleasure as a “national mission”, adding: “Through the National Year of Reading and our plan for change, we are making sure every child and young person has access to a wide range of books.” She urged families to “read together for just 10 minutes a day.”

The campaign encourages people to read about what they already love, in whatever format suits them, including novels, comics, blogs or audiobooks.

“Pick up a book, listen to an audiobook, and immerse yourself in articles about whatever you love,” Williamson said. “Everything is important.”

Othman said he was proud to support the National Year of Reading 2026, adding: “In an increasingly noisy and complex world, reading is our quiet superpower.”

Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literacy Trust, said the campaign provides a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalize the UK’s relationship with reading and change people’s life stories”. “Whether it’s a child experiencing the magic of a picture book for the first time… or an adult reading the pages of a soccer ball on the go, reading is accessible to everyone,” he added.

The initiative builds on existing government measures – including a new mandatory reading test for all pupils in Year 8, a £5 million investment to support reading in secondary schools, and a £10 million investment to ensure every primary school in England has a library by the end of this Parliament – ​​and will include national events, local activities and a campaign to recruit 100,000 literacy volunteers across the UK.