08:00, 24 January 2026
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
A new campaign launches to help 1,000 primary school children become confident, life-long readers, offering a practical response to the worrying decline in reading for pleasure among young people.
The initiative is being led by the Society of Authors in partnership with children’s reading charity Coram Beanstalk. During the National Year of Reading 2026, the campaign will recruit 250 new volunteers, enabling Coram Beanstalk to deliver one-to-one reading support to an additional 1,000 children in primary schools across England.
The campaign was launched at Edward Wilson Primary School in west London, where award-winning children’s author Rashmi Sirdeshpande officially joined Coram Beanstalk as an ambassador.
Rashmi led an interactive session with Year Three and Four pupils, encouraging them to explore books linked to their own interests and showing that reading can be creative, inclusive and fun.
“Reading has such a huge impact on wellbeing and future life chances for children,” Rashmi said. “Coram Beanstalk’s work inspires a love of reading and makes books feel accessible and irresistible.”
Coram Beanstalk, founded in 1973, currently works in around 500 primary schools across England, training volunteers to read regularly with children who need extra encouragement. The approach focuses on building confidence, enjoyment and curiosity, which they believe are the foundations that research shows are critical for long-term educational outcomes.
The campaign arrives at a crucial moment. Research from the National Literacy Trust, which is leading the National Year of Reading alongside the Department for Education, reveals that only 1 in 3 children aged eight to 18 enjoy reading in their free time. This decline has implications not just for literacy, but for wellbeing, imagination and self-esteem.
Anna Ganley, Chief Executive of the Society of Authors, said the partnership aims to ensure that “every child experiences the magic of books”, highlighting the wider benefits of reading beyond academic success.
Members of the public can support the campaign by signing up as a volunteer or donating towards volunteer training. More information is available via Coram Beanstalk’s website.
As the National Year of Reading gets underway, the campaign offers a hopeful, people-powered solution: giving children the time, attention and encouragement they need to discover a lifelong love of books — one reader at a time.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Coram Beanstalk. A UK charity providing one-to-one reading support in primary schools to help children discover books that inspire and delight. Its trained volunteers work directly with pupils to boost literacy, confidence, and a lifelong love of reading. Learn more here.
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). A US-based organisation dedicated to increasing literacy and access to books for children nationwide. RIF provides free books, educational resources, and programmes to foster a culture of reading at home and in schools. Discover their work here.
World Literacy Foundation. An international non-profit working across Africa, Asia, and the Americas to improve literacy rates for children and adults. The foundation delivers educational programmes, resources, and advocacy to tackle global literacy inequality. Find out more here.
This positive news article aligns with the UN SDG Quality Education.
Photo credits: Coram Beanstalk
