Today, Her Majesty The Queen, Patron of both the National Literacy Trust and The Big Lunch initiative from the Eden Project, joined 150 volunteers from across the UK at the British Library, London, to celebrate the power of sharing stories and food to bring communities together during the National Year of Reading.

The National Year of Reading 2026, from the Department for Education in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, is the biggest initiative in a generation designed to inspire the nation to discover a passion for reading and embed it in daily life, as research from the National Literacy Trust shows young people’s enjoyment of reading is at a 20-year low [1].

The flagship event leads into The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out weekend on 5-8 June which is set to see millions of people across the UK meeting, eating and lending a hand locally. The initiative invites people to join in with activities including volunteering at their local library, organising litter picks and bringing their neighbours together.

The festivities saw the National Year of Reading and The Big Lunch come together to thank volunteers for their crucial efforts to support reading and connect communities, and inspire more people to ‘Go All In’ and make a difference where they live – whether sharing stories over food, getting active as a National Year of Reading volunteer or taking part in The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out weekend on 5-8 June [2].

Over a sit-down lunch in the piazza of the Library, Her Majesty met a range of youth, community and corporate volunteers who shared how they have encouraged children, young people and adults to discover a love of reading and connect with their communities [case studies available].

In the Library’s Poet’s Circle, Her Majesty and volunteers then listened to a performance of The Loan by UK Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage CBE – a playful poem about borrowing a book from the local library and how reading can shape who we are and connect us with the world around us.

Armitage then revealed the two newly crowned Young Poet Laureates for London – Maya (aged 11, south west London) and Latifah (aged 14, south east London) – who performed debut poems written especially for the day to capture the power of stories to excite, engage and connect people [poems and case studies available]. The duo were appointed through the National Literacy Trust and National Poetry Centre’s Young Poet Laureate programme, supported by Armitage, to inspire a new generation of poets across the UK.

Following the performances, beloved character PaddingtonTM was announced as the latest National Year of Reading Ambassador, championing the values of friendship, lending a helping hand and bringing people together through stories and food. In front of an excited crowd, Her Majesty proceeded to cut a celebratory marmalade sandwich-inspired cake for all to enjoy.

A wonderful meet and greet was organised to celebrate 40 volunteer pupil librarians, who have been empowered by the National Literacy Trust’s Libraries for Primaries programme to inspire their peers to discover a love of reading. The children were also generously gifted Paddington books by HarperCollins Children’s Books, handed out by Karen Jankel – daughter of the late Michael Bond CBE, author the Padddington books – to take home and share with their family and friends.

Fellow National Year of Reading Ambassadors Jack Edwards, the internet’s resident librarian, and Ben Newman, the viral TikTok sensation known to most as Spud Man, were also in attendance, volunteering their time to talk to guests about going all in on their passions, particularly for food, through reading.

Earlier in the engagement, Her Majesty was introduced upon arrival to representatives from the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) who are joining in with The Big Help Out by encouraging members of the public to check on levels of accessible books at their local library.

Here The Queen met Betsy Griffin, who has a brain tumour and is registered blind. In 2022, aged 9, Betsy wrote her first book, Out of the Woods: A Tale of Positivity, Kindness and Courage, which was published by HQ, a division of HarperCollins, in print, braille and audio formats.

Her Majesty also visited the British Library’s Fairy Tales family exhibition that celebrates the joy and wonder of magical stories from around the world.

After entering the ‘deep dark woods’ to explore items related to heroes and villains from magical tales, including Little Red Riding Hood, Her Majesty met a group of pupil reading volunteers, where they enjoyed a dressing-up and storytelling activity rooted in how sharing stories can reflect the values of the changing world and connect you to the things you care about.

Upon exiting the exhibition, Her Majesty joined senior executives from charities and volunteering organisations who, in a discussion led by David Hayman, Director of the National Year of Reading, shared how volunteers are helping to extend the reach of the campaign, deepen its impact and drive its legacy beyond 2026 [3].

David Hayman, Director of the National Year of Reading, said: “In the National Year of Reading, we’re calling on 100,000 volunteers across the UK to help spark a lifelong love of reading in their communities. Whether it’s supporting a child in the classroom, coaching an adult reader, starting a book club or creating a local book swap, every volunteer can make a real difference. Together, we can build stronger, more connected communities and create a lasting legacy that helps millions more people Go All In and discover the joy of reading in 2026 and beyond.”

Jonathan Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “The National Year of Reading provides us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the UK’s relationship with reading – and volunteers, who are rooted in the communities they support, are critical for inspiring those who need it most to discover a love of reading that can change their life stories.

“With the invaluable support of the National Literacy Trust’s Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, in addition to the dedicated volunteers, ambassadors and cross-sector partnerships powering the campaign, we can inspire the nation to connect, grow and thrive through reading – in 2026 and for years to come.”

Peter Stewart LVO, Director Emeritus at the Eden Project, said: “With just a few days to go until The Big Lunch and Big Help Out weekend, it’s been wonderful to get the celebrations started by welcoming our Patron to this event honouring the inspiring work reading volunteers do. The people here today are just some of the millions around the UK who give up their time to support their local community in a huge variety of ways. This weekend, why not join them and make a difference where you live? From supporting reading in libraries and organising a street party to planning a litter pick or lending a hand at a local food bank – there are so many ways to join in!”

Dr. Jeremy Silver, Interim Chief Executive of the British Library, said: “We were delighted to have Her Majesty The Queen at the British Library for The Big Lunch – an event that champions reading as a transformative, lifelong experience for all. As the UK’s national library, reading is central to everything we do – from the school groups visiting our exhibitions and galleries to researchers using our Reading Rooms and online resources – and we are committed to making knowledge freely accessible and engaging for the next generation.”

With 35,000 volunteers already supporting the National Year of Reading, and an ambitious target of mobilising 100,000 reading volunteers by the end of the year, the event aimed to inspire more people to Go All In on the things they love through reading and volunteer to make a positive difference in their schools, workplaces and communities.