CHILDREN'S BOOKFEST LAUNCHES FREE SUMMER READING BINGO BOOKMARK
Published 14:51 on 24 Jun 2026
Local charity Children's BookFest (CBF) is inviting families to discover that reading is everywhere this summer with the launch of a free summer reading bingo bookmark.
Supported by Chichester Festival Theatre, the campaign features a colourful bookmark, which folds out into an illustrated bingo card encouraging children to tick off nine different types of reading activity throughout the summer holidays. From maps and menus to recipes, subtitles and song lyrics, the challenge is designed to show children that reading can be found everywhere.
Children who complete the bingo card can enter a prize draw to win book tokens.
The initiative forms part of Children's BookFest's Chichester Go All In campaign for the National Year of Reading 2026 and comes as new research from the National Literacy Trust reveals that children's enjoyment of reading and daily reading habits have increased for the first time in five years. The Trust highlighted the important role played by libraries, schools, volunteers and community organisations in helping children develop positive reading habits.
Since launching in 2019, Children's BookFest has gifted more than 30,000 brand-new books to children and created opportunities for thousands of young people to meet authors, poets and illustrators in person. The charity now works with schools across Chichester, Bognor Regis and Midhurst and recently launched BookFest YA, extending its work into secondary schools.
Families visiting Chichester Gala on Saturday 27 June will be among the first to pick up the colourful bookmark.
Georgina Lippiett, Festival Director at Children's BookFest, said:
"We are delighted to be launching our Reading is Everywhere Summer Bingo Bookmarks at this year's Chichester Gala. As the Mayor of Chichester's chosen charity for this year, we are especially grateful for the opportunity to share our first ever summer reading initiative with families from across the district at one of Chichester's best-loved community events.
"The National Literacy Trust findings are hugely encouraging. After years of decline, it is wonderful to see more children saying they enjoy reading and are choosing to read in their free time. We were particularly pleased to see recognition of the role that libraries, schools, volunteers and community organisations play in making that happen.
"At Children's BookFest, our mission has always been simple: to help children discover the joy of reading. Whether that's through meeting an author, receiving a book of their own, or taking part in something as simple as our summer reading bingo, we want children to see reading as something enjoyable, inspiring and part of everyday life.
"We're incredibly grateful to illustrator Matt Carr for bringing the bookmark to life and to Chichester Festival Theatre for their continued support. We hope families will join us this summer in celebrating the idea that reading really is everywhere."
Visitors to the Children's BookFest stand at Chichester Gala will also have the opportunity to win brand new books.
Following the Gala, bookmarks will be available free of charge from Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Library, Chichester District Foodbank, New Park Centre and a number of locations across the city. Families will also be able to download and print their own copy via the Childrens BookFest website.
For more information and to download the summer reading bingo bookmark, visit - https://www.childrensbookfest.com/national-year-of-reading
