Birmingham Woman Named UK's First Ever National Reading Hero

Selina Brown, the Birmingham-based founder of the Black British Book Festival, was named the UK's first ever National Reading Hero at the inaugural Queen's Reading Room Medal ceremony held at Clarence House, receiving the honour directly from Queen Camilla.

Brown was recognised for her "extraordinary impact transforming lives" through Black British literature, specifically for founding the Black British Book Festival, described as Europe's largest celebration of Black literature, and for bringing inclusive stories into primary schools with low literacy rates. Queen Camilla presented the medal with the words "Many congratulations."

Since its launch in 2021, the Black British Book Festival has reached more than 100,000 people and grown into a national movement spanning London, Manchester and Birmingham. The festival has showcased more than 100 Black authors at events including Glastonbury, the Hay Festival and Cheltenham, and its 2024 flagship event at the Barbican drew a record-breaking 5,500 guests. Brown also launched the Writers on the Rise initiative in collaboration with Pan Macmillan, providing mentorship and support to more than 50 emerging Black authors.

Writing on X following the ceremony, Brown said she had "received something I will carry for the rest of my life," dedicating the medal to Black British authors. "Books changed my life long before I ever thought about changing anything else," she added.

The Clarence House reception, which also marked the fifth anniversary of Queen Camilla's Queen's Reading Room charity, drew a star-studded literary gathering including Sir Ben Okri, Jojo Moyes, Richard Osman, Lee Child, Sigourney Weaver and Stanley Tucci, alongside King Charles. Two medals were presented on the night: alongside Brown's national award, Liz Waterland received the Local Reading Hero Medal for her decade of service to Deepings Community Library in Lincolnshire, which she helped save from closure.

The evening unfolded against a stark backdrop for British literacy: the Queen's Reading Room has highlighted that only 50% of UK adults read a book in a year. The ceremony also saw Queen Camilla announce a forthcoming BBC documentary on the transformative power of books, produced in collaboration with The Open University and timed to coincide with the UK-wide National Year of Reading in 2026.

Brown's achievement is the first time the National Reading Hero title has ever been awarded, making her not only its inaugural recipient but a permanent marker in the history of British literary recognition.