Read For Good

James's page

James Atkinson

James Atkinson

My Story

I'm taking on the 2026 London Marathon to raise vital funds for Read for Good, who help kids from across the country read for fun.

You may know that I'm a keen runner - but this is the first time I've ever run for charity and taken on the gruelling London Marathon. Read For Good are a small charity with only a handful of us running for them - any support you can give to help them with their vital work would be really appreciated.

Why I'm running...

Anyone who knows me know that literacy and the benefits of reading are subjects close to my heart. I've had the pleasure of working in book publishing for over a decade with DK and Penguin Random House, and have seen first-hand the incredibly positive impact reading can have.

I also know that this positive impact is largely down to kids reading for fun. Currently just 1 in 3 children aged 8-18 say that they enjoy reading in their free time, a 36% decrease over 20 years, with fewer than 1 in 5 reading on a daily basis.

Having become a recent parent to twins, I can already see the huge impact books has on their lives - as we read books to them, we've seen their worlds expand, and with that their words.

I also know that they're in a privileged position. Reading is not as much on the agenda for many kids for a myriad of reasons, and with that, the benefits from reading might not be as available - not just literacy skills but imagination, creative thinking, problem solving. And beyond that - there are so many books on STEM subjects, art, design, fandoms, gardening, cookery - you name it. The world opens up differently with a book.

Read for Good believes in the life-changing power of books and stories, and they provide accessible and practical solutions to help children discover a love of reading, which will stay with them to adulthood. Every day they do crucial work ensuring children and young people have access to a wide choice of the best brand new books across hospitals, schools and libraries. They're also the geniuses behind the Readathon® - something I myself did around 30ish+ years ago (!) - which has now been running across schools up and down the country.

Thank you so much for donating to support the Read for Good charity.

James

Read For Good

Raising for:

Read For Good
100%

Funded

  • Target
    £2,500
  • Raised so far
    £2,501
  • Number of donors
    119

My Story

I'm taking on the 2026 London Marathon to raise vital funds for Read for Good, who help kids from across the country read for fun.

You may know that I'm a keen runner - but this is the first time I've ever run for charity and taken on the gruelling London Marathon. Read For Good are a small charity with only a handful of us running for them - any support you can give to help them with their vital work would be really appreciated.

Why I'm running...

Anyone who knows me know that literacy and the benefits of reading are subjects close to my heart. I've had the pleasure of working in book publishing for over a decade with DK and Penguin Random House, and have seen first-hand the incredibly positive impact reading can have.

I also know that this positive impact is largely down to kids reading for fun. Currently just 1 in 3 children aged 8-18 say that they enjoy reading in their free time, a 36% decrease over 20 years, with fewer than 1 in 5 reading on a daily basis.

Having become a recent parent to twins, I can already see the huge impact books has on their lives - as we read books to them, we've seen their worlds expand, and with that their words.

I also know that they're in a privileged position. Reading is not as much on the agenda for many kids for a myriad of reasons, and with that, the benefits from reading might not be as available - not just literacy skills but imagination, creative thinking, problem solving. And beyond that - there are so many books on STEM subjects, art, design, fandoms, gardening, cookery - you name it. The world opens up differently with a book.

Read for Good believes in the life-changing power of books and stories, and they provide accessible and practical solutions to help children discover a love of reading, which will stay with them to adulthood. Every day they do crucial work ensuring children and young people have access to a wide choice of the best brand new books across hospitals, schools and libraries. They're also the geniuses behind the Readathon® - something I myself did around 30ish+ years ago (!) - which has now been running across schools up and down the country.

Thank you so much for donating to support the Read for Good charity.

James