KATE MOSSE CBE BECOMES PRESIDENT OF CHILDREN'S BOOKFEST

Award-winning international bestselling novelist and non-fiction author Kate Mosse CBE has become President of Children's BookFest, lending her support to the charity's mission to ensure every child has the opportunity to discover the joy of reading.

The announcement was made at a special fundraising event in Chichester on Monday 28 September 2026. Audiences enjoyed an evening with two of Britains best-known literary figures, as Kate joined broadcaster and author Clare Balding to explore her remarkable career and lifelong passion for storytelling. All proceeds from the event went towards supporting the charitys work.

Kate's appointment comes as Children's BookFest continues to expand its work encouraging children and young people to engage with books, authors and reading. Alongside its established festivals across Chichester, Bognor Regis and Midhurst, the charity has recently launched BookFest YA, reaching more than 800 secondary school students through author visits, creative writing workshops and its inaugural Student Librarian Conference.

A longstanding supporter of Children's BookFest and its founders, Kate has championed the charity since its earliest days, sharing its belief that every child should have the opportunity to own books of their own.

Penny Tomlinson, Co-Founder of Children's BookFest, said:

"Kate has believed in Children's BookFest from the very beginning. She recognised what we were trying to achieve long before we had reached the thousands of children we work with today, and her encouragement, friendship and generosity have meant an enormous amount to us.
"To welcome Kate as our President feels incredibly special, but it also feels like a natural progression of a relationship built on shared values. She understands that reading changes lives and shares our determination to ensure every child, whatever their background or circumstances, has the opportunity to discover books, meet authors and develop a love of reading.
"Everything we do is made possible through fundraising, grants and the generosity of our supporters. Every author we bring into schools to place their books directly in the hands of children and every opportunity we create for a young person to discover reading is funded because people believe in our mission. Kate's support will help us tell that story to more people and, ultimately, enable us to reach even more children."

Kate Mosse commented:

What the CBF has achieved in such a short amount of time - their ambition, their passion, their determination to make a difference in our area - is exemplary. I've watched with admiration from the sidelines and now welcome the opportunity to become more closely involved. In this National Year of Reading, their goal of bringing books to every single child is inspirational.

Since launching in 2019, Children's BookFest has purchased and gifted more than 35,000 books to children across Sussex, ensuring every child taking part in its programmes receives a book of their own directly from the author. Every book is funded through the charity's fundraising, grants and donations, helping children build home libraries while supporting authors, publishers and booksellers.

To find out more about Childrens BookFest visit - https://www.childrensbookfest.com/

Image: Sam Stephenson.