Reading doesn’t happen by itself. In isolation.
It happens one word. One book at a time. On sofas. At kitchen tables. In my egg chair.
At bedtime and before school. Before work. On the way to work.
In classrooms, in libraries, at festivals and in community spaces.
It’s nurtured by families - parents, carers, teachers, friends. And by all the places that make reading visible, valued and shared. Our beloved high street bookstores. And our beloved online bookstores with social purpose - like LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids.
The National Year of Reading recognises that if we want reading for pleasure to flourish, we have to look beyond the individual reader. Because children are far more likely to read when reading is normalised, celebrated and supported in the world around them.
Families and carers: the first reading community
For most children, their earliest reading experiences happen at home. Being read to, talking about stories, seeing adults read, sharing books together. These moments matter. They send a powerful signal that reading is something people do. Something people enjoy. Not just something children are told to do. That they have to do, for their studies.
When families feel confident choosing books, when reading is woven into everyday life. Things change. I remember when I first forced Stig of the Dump into my son’s age 9 hands. One of my childhood favourite reads, I was so excited for him to meet Barney and Stig, watch them form an indelible friendship and learn to communicate, build shelters, make tools and survive together. He wasn’t a fan. And I struggled to find what might come next. What might entice him. Speak to him. Support his choices. Not mine.
When reading is shown as joyful. Fun. Rather than as homework, children are far more likely to develop lasting reading habits. Shared reading builds connection. It creates comfort and brings belonging. And those emotional associations, those shared connections stay with children long after they’ve learned to read independently.
Schools as community hubs
Schools sit at the heart of our communities. The very heart. And when they are supported to build rich reading cultures, the impact extends far beyond the classroom. But schools cannot do it alone.
Many schools are under intense financial pressure. Too often, books are the first thing to be cut when budgets tighten. Not because of a lack of belief. A lack of importance. But because of a lack of money. Libraries have been shrinking or disappearing altogether, particularly in areas of high deprivation.
That’s why community-based approaches matter. When parents, carers, staff, governors, friends, supporters, local businesses and book lovers are given a simple way to support their local school. Or schools with real need. Reading becomes a shared endeavour rather than a solitary challenge. It becomes something that brings communities together.
Libraries, festivals and shared reading moments
Libraries, book stores, book festivals, author events and shared reading initiatives all play a vital role in making reading visible and joyful. They create moments of discovery, connection and excitement. They remind children (and adults) that reading is cultural, social and alive. That reading can be utterly brilliant. And brilliantly fun.
But access to these spaces is uneven. Which is why national momentum must be matched with local delivery - ensuring that enthusiasm for reading translates into real books in real hands, wherever children live.
LoveReading: a community built around books and impact
Alongside our mission to get more people reading, LoveReading has built a unique funding model that turns everyday book buying into meaningful community support.
When shoppers buy a book through LoveReading or LoveReading4Kids, they can choose to donate 25% of their spend to a school of their choice. Even if shoppers don’t choose to donate, we still give 10% of their spend to our LoveReading4Kids Funding for Schools Scheme, which prioritises schools experiencing disadvantage.
This simple mechanism transforms goodwill into action. Quietly, consistently and at scale.
A national community, delivering local impact
Today, more than 14,000 schools across the UK use our LoveReading4Schools Portal - a purpose-driven platform designed to:
- Encourage reading for pleasure
- Help communities rally around schools
- Fund school book collections
- Build the next generation of readers
The platform turns public support into books within days, with full transparency for schools, donors and partners alike.
So far, £100,000 has already been donated to cash-strapped schools through our online bookstores with social purpose. At the same time, more than 1,500 high-deprivation schools have applied for funding - schools we know, have mapped, and are ready to support, but for whom funding is not yet available.
In effect, we’ve built the rails to deliver impact. The infrastructure, systems and reporting - but demand continues to outstrip supply.
Just last week, we donated £1,000 worth of books to a school in Manchester, and this week pledged £1,000 to a school in Bristol. These moments matter. But they are not enough.
The next step: The LoveReading Foundation
That’s why we are shortly announcing the launch of The LoveReading Foundation - an independent charity created to put more books into disadvantaged UK schools and help every child discover a lifelong love of reading.
The Foundation will build on the digital rails already in place, using grants, philanthropy and social value partnerships to reach schools that miss out on shopper-directed give-back.
The LoveReading Foundation will operate as a separate Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and it exists for one reason: to ensure that no school misses out simply because its community has fewer resources.
Turning national momentum into measurable change
Our affiliate programme and reporting systems allow every partner to see the difference their involvement makes. We have built the tech to transform national enthusiasm into real books, in real classrooms, supporting real children and funding real reading for pleasure. Fast. Sustainably. At scale.
As the nation gears up to celebrate reading in 2026, this is a moment to act collectively.
To call to arms for the book world and book lovers
This is a call to publishers, media owners, charities, authors and illustrators. A call to arms to anyone creating content about books. Join our affiliate programme and let’s together help spread the word. Let’s drive people to buy books - with social purpose - and in so doing create the next generation of readers. Filling classrooms. Not corporations’ (pockets).
Join us in amplifying this effort.
Raise awareness of book buying with social purpose.
Buy a book. Support a School. Make a Difference.
By choosing to work with LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids, you’re not just reaching readers.
By choosing to shop with LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids, you’re not just buying books. You’re helping build libraries, fund schools and shape the reading lives of the next generation.
Do your bit for the next generation of readers.
Because reading thrives when families, communities and places come together. And when goodwill is given the rails to become impact.
More in the Year of Reading series:
Access and Equity: Why Not Every Child Starts With the Same Books
Reading as a Lifelong Skill: Building the Skill - and the Will - to Read
Family, Community & Place: Why Reading Thrives When We Do It Together
Voice, Agency & Representation: Why Stories Shape Who We Become
Diverse Formats & Modern Reading: Valuing Every Route Into Reading
Plan A Year of Reading for Your Children with LoveReading4Kids
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