Director of National Year of Reading shares how reading creates community for every generation

A great story can transport you to a different time, place, or even universe.

Reading is one of the world’s most enduring hobbies, yet many of us can’t remember the last time we picked up a book.

That’s why the National Year of Reading is encouraging readers of all ages to “go all in” and rediscover their love for literature.

University of Leeds alumnus David Hayman is director of the national campaign, and he wants 2026 to be the year when reading rates rise.

“There is a huge challenge right now in terms of the number of people reading regularly and finding joy and pleasure and love in reading,” David told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“The numbers have been dropping for years and years and years and the National Year of Reading is all about how do we overcome that challenge and how do we get people to fall back in love with reading.”

Just like the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Leeds Reads campaign, the National Year of Reading aims to showcase just how joyful reading can be.

By the end of 2026, the National Year of Reading aims to recruit 100,000 new volunteers to support literacy projects in schools and communities across the country.

So far, more than 36,000 people have already signed up and according to David, this “brilliant army of volunteers” is helping others find “love, joy, and confidence” in reading.

David said: “We set a goal at the start of the campaign to get 100,000 new volunteers recruited. It’s an ambitious goal but we think it’s really important to help deliver the National Year of Reading in 2026 and lay the foundations for a legacy going forward.

“We’re trying to showcase a variety of different volunteering opportunities which already exist out there but aren’t getting the spotlight we’d like them to.”

Volunteering roles can be in-person or online and the National Year of Reading has created an online quiz to find a volunteering opportunity which fits around your schedule and experiences.

Alongside encouraging more volunteers, the National Year of Reading is also showcasing how reading can be a way to learn more about things you already love.

“If you’re into sports, if you’re into TV, if you’re into music, reading can be a gateway to get even more out of things you really love,” David said.

With celebrity ambassadors including presenter and author Richard Osman, businesswoman Sara Davies MBE, and footballer Leah Williamson, the National Year of Reading wants to encourage millions more people to discover the “immediate joy” which can be found in reading.

As well as this, David hopes that the year-long campaign spotlights how books can build our wider world awareness.

David said: “Reading helps build understanding, helps build community, helps see the world through other people’s lenses and experiences.

“I think reading is the perfect gateway to improve that awareness and appreciation of other people’s experiences and hopefully foster more community and connection.”

After years of decline, the UK is now finally experiencing a reading resurgence.

In fact, research from the National Literacy Trust reveals that reading enjoyment among children and young people has risen for the first time in four years.

The National Year of Reading wants to maintain and increase this interest further across all generations.

“In a world where we are often narrow in our focus, books really help open up our worlds and increase our imagination, grow our wonder, and provide joy,” David said.

“That works at any age, from a one-year-old baby who is picking up their first book to my dad who’s 84 and still reading everything he can find.”