Hachette UK pledges £200k to fund 200 Book Nooks as part of Raising Readers campaign

In his end of year letter, Hachette UK and Hachette Book Group chief executive officer David Shelley revealed that the publisher would be pledging £200,000 in 2026 to fund 200 Book Nooks across the UK, as part of the Raising Readers campaign. The fund, created to mark 200 years of the publisher, will be dedicated to social impact initiatives as part of the ongoing campaign "to combat the decline in children reading for pleasure". 

The new scheme launches in spring 2026, and in the UK community groups and charities will be able to apply for one of the Book Nooks, which include everything needed to create a dedicated reading space, including: £1,000 worth of children’s books; furniture such as seating and shelving; a dictionary; reading guides; bespoke display materials and party packs to launch the reading space.

Shelley said: "We know that books and reading are more predictive of a child’s future success than any other factor and that the decline in reading is currently steeper in lower socio-economic groups than higher socio-economic groups. So, in 2026, we aim to take Raising Readers to the next level and create opportunities for thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds to make reading part of their everyday lives by establishing 200 Raising Readers Book Nooks stocked with hundreds of brand-new books.

"In 2026, Hachette is proud to be working with social impact agency TDW+Co to boost the reach of Raising Readers through a creative consumer campaign running across the US and UK. TDW+Co is a community-based and mission-driven agency that seeks to build authentic connections between brands and consumers through cultural understanding and a network of community partners. The collective goal to reach readers from underrepresented and marginalised communities aligns closely with Hachette’s Changing the Story pillar."

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