Familiar faces including Filbert Fox, Leicester City players, CBeebies presenter Rebecca Keatley and Leicester’s poet laureate Mr Shay are backing the National Year of Reading as it launches in Leicester.
The campaign aims to encourage people to “go all in” and read for enjoyment, with the message that whatever your interests, there’s something to read about them.
Picture credit: Leicester City Council
Leicester Libraries is supporting the initiative – led by the National Literacy Trust and backed by the Department for Education – with a year-long programme of events and activities designed to inspire reading across the city.
Residents will see the National Year of Reading’s ‘Go All In’ branding throughout Leicester and on social media, alongside local supporters helping to promote the campaign.
Cllr Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for libraries, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the National Year of Reading to Leicester and to have some familiar faces helping us kick things off. Our libraries are a brilliant free resource for everyone, with more than 500,000 books, audiobooks and ebooks available. Whatever you’re into, read into it and you’re in.”
Mr Shay, Leicester’s first poet laureate, added: “It took me 24 years to find the joy of books – playing catch-up has never been more fun.”
To mark the National Year of Reading, Leicester Libraries is hosting a wide range of events, including ghost story evenings for National Storytelling Week, author talks at Leicester Central Library, Toddler Time sessions across city libraries, and support for more than 40 local reading groups. Museums, festivals and adult learning services are also taking part throughout 2026.
For updates and event details, follow Leicester Libraries on social media or visit leicester.gov.uk/libraries.
