As part of the National Year of Reading 2026, the National Literacy Trust launched a borough-wide community engagement project in Doncaster to discover what local people love to read and why. The initiative aimed to celebrate stories and encourage residents of all ages to see reading as an enjoyable and valuable part of everyday life.
The project was supported by NCFE’s Social Impact Fund, which empowers colleagues to support charitable causes that matter to them. Each quarter, colleagues can apply for funding to support projects aligned with our mission to promote and advance learning, with a particular focus on widening opportunity and supporting disadvantaged learners.
Supporting a shared love of stories
Doncaster’s 100 Greatest Reads project launched in February 2026 with a special comic book workshop featuring local children from Town Field Primary School and Sally Jameson MP. Through storytelling, drawing activities and discussions about favourite books and characters, the event highlighted the many ways that reading can inspire creativity, imagination and confidence.
This is especially important at a time when reading for enjoyment among children and young people is in decline. Reading plays a vital role in shaping future success because it supports academic achievement, builds empathy, strengthens communication skills, and helps to expand vocabulary. Strong reading skills are linked to higher lifetime earnings and career success, providing children with better educational and social mobility opportunities.
Turning funding into community impact
After being nominated by NCFE’s Laura Robshaw, the Social Impact Fund helped launch the 100 Greatest Reads project by supporting practical resources including ballot boxes, branded notepads, and promotional materials. Voting stations were placed in schools, libraries, shopping centres, cafés, family hubs, and community spaces, alongside an online vote to encourage widespread participation.
The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 1,036 people sharing their favourite books and explaining why they matter to them. The project also engaged with local schools, giving children the opportunity to explore how reading supports creativity, imagination, confidence, and learning.
The results showcased the diversity of reading interests across Doncaster, with people sharing a love of everything from comics and graphic novels to fiction, history, science, biographies, and audiobooks. With participants highlighting books that reflect their own cultures, identities, and aspirations, the results reinforced the message that reading looks different for everyone, and there is something out there for every reader.
Continuing the story
Phil Sheppard, Hub Manager at the National Literacy Trust shared: “This funding has enabled us to celebrate reading on a truly community-wide scale and hear directly from over 1,000 people across Doncaster about the books, stories and reading experiences that matter to them.”
The project is now moving into its next phase, with a public photography exhibition and printed publication set to showcase the people behind the stories they love, helping to inspire even more conversations about reading across Doncaster.
100 Greatest Reads is a fantastic example of how small investments through NCFE’s Social Impact Fund can create meaningful, lasting impact. By supporting literacy and encouraging a love of reading, we’re working together to create opportunities and make a real difference in communities.
