The National Year of Reading 2026 – Go All In

 

The Appledore Book Festival is a proud Pledge Partner of The National Year of Reading 2026 and the ‘Go All In’ UK-wide campaign, which is designed to help more people rediscover the joy of reading.

 

To support The National Year of Reading, we have …

 

• Hosted a Safari Storytime & Play event for children.

• Hosted a World Book Night event.

• Launched ‘The Big Summer Read’ initiative by encouraging everyone to read the same book over the Summer. Our chosen book is Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall and it is available to buy at a selection of local shops for only £3 (RRP £9.99). This has been subsidised by the Festival charity. Tickets to the author event at the Festival in September are available to buy.

• Scheduled our Free Family Fun Day on 19 September featuring a local author & illustrator Joseph Witchall and exciting activities & games around the village.

• Created an enhanced children’s programme of events for 2026 which blends book events with exciting Skern Adventure activities.

• Organised The Charlotte Aitken Schools Week Outreach Programme – In 2026 the Schools Team will: Take 27 authors to 74 schools – that’s 234 events in one week! And give 10,000 books to children to take home.

 

To find out more visit, www.goallin.org.uk