08 Oct 2026
9:00am - 9:00pm
Online
On Thursday 8 October, the National Literacy Trust and the British Council will aim to set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most people reading online in 12 hours.
The record attempt is part of the Take 10 to Read campaign in the National Year of Reading 2026 - and the message is simple: whatever you're into, take 10 to read into it.
What to expect from the event
The event will include four exciting sessions with world-renowned authors and influencers, each designed to engage and inspire different age groups.
The four sessions:
- Ages 5 to 8: A reading of Super Uma by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, followed by a draw-along activity with illustrator Nakul P.
- Ages 8 to 12: Frank Cottrell-Boyce will read from The Blockbusters! and explore themes including cinema and culture.
- Ages 12 to 16: Nathanael Lessore will discuss topics linked to What Happens Online, including digital identity, confidence, family and school life. Please note that this event includes embarrassing anecdotes relating to bodily functions and toileting accidents. Some viewers may find these references unsuitable or uncomfortable.
- Ages 16+: Coco and Zubs, alongside reading ambassadors, will discuss their connection with reading and what it means for their wellbeing.
Each pre-recorded session lasts no more than an hour and includes a dedicated ten-minute reading session, during which participants will read together. The in-built reading time begins around thirty minutes into each session and forms part of the Guinness World Records attempt.
Sessions will be repeated at different times throughout the day to make participation as accessible as possible for a global audience.
What is the event schedule?
9am, 1pm, 5pm - Ages 5 to 8 session with Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Nakul P
10am, 2pm, 6pm - Ages 8 to 12 session with Frank Cottrell-Boyce
11am, 3pm, 7pm - Ages 12 to 16 Nathanael Lessore
12noon, 4pm, 8pm - Ages 16+ Coco and Zubs
All times are British Summer Time (BST).
You only need to take part in one session to be part of the record attempt.
Join the webinar at your chosen session time. National Literacy Trust staff will be available in the chat to encourage participation and answer questions.
How to take part
Register using the form below. Once you've signed up, you'll receive a link to the event by email. Please allow up to 48 hours for your email to arrive.
Where can I find more information?
Please scroll past the sign up form to find our list of FAQs and contact information.
Together, we'll create a shared reading moment that transcends borders.
Now in its fifth year, Take 10 to Read highlights the wellbeing benefits of reading and encourages people of all ages to take just 10 minutes to read on and around World Mental Health Day.
This year, in partnership with the British Council, Take 10 to Read is becoming a global initiative, connecting readers of all ages and backgrounds through the British Council's worldwide network.
Frequently asked questions
What is Take 10 to Read?
Take 10 to Read is an annual campaign from the National Literacy Trust to promote the wellbeing benefits of reading.
When will the attempt take place?
The Guinness World Records attempt will take place on Thursday 8 October in the form of a 12-hour online event with multiple sessions, hosted on Zoom Webinars.
Who can take part?
Anyone can take part, including:
- Schools
- Families
- Community groups
- Libraries
- Workplaces
- Individuals at home
People from anywhere in the world are welcome to join; the sessions are being run over 12 hours to allow for participation from different time zones.
Can I join more than one session?
Yes, you can join more than one session. If you plan to, please indicate that on the sign-up form. It is very important for us to understand projected numbers to ensure the events run as smoothly as possible on the day.
The same link will be used across the event, so if you’re joining for more than one session, you can use the same joining link for all.
Can I attend a session that is recommended for a different age range?
Absolutely - the age ranges are a recommendation and not a guideline. We will not be explicitly mentioning age ranges during the event, but have suggested them to help you choose the most suitable session.
What counts as reading and do participants need to read the same book?
No. Participants can read any book, story, magazine, comic, article or other reading material that is appropriate for their age and interests. This can be in any language. You can choose to either read independently or nominate a person to read aloud to a group. Whether you're reading fiction or non-fiction, everything counts! For example, you could choose to read a book, comic, magazine, match report or a recipe book.
How will participation be counted?
To meet Guinness World Records' requirements and qualify for a participation certificate, participants must join the Zoom webinar and complete our evidence form to report on how many people are reading.
This form will ask:
- Name of designated group leader (or individual if you are joining alone)
- Country or territory you are joining from
- Whether you are joining from a school, home or another setting
- The number of people participating with you
- What you are choosing to read.
Please note that all individuals or designated group leaders must be aged 16 years or older and sign a declaration on the evidence form.
Who can submit evidence?
- All individuals or designated group leaders who submit an evidence form must be aged 16 years or older.
- Each designated group leader is responsible for counting and reporting the number of people reading with them during the event.
- If you are joining as a group, you will not need to include the individual names of everyone taking part with you, or individual reading choices.
Is there a maximum number of people I can join with?
Designated group leaders, such as teachers, will report the number of participants joining with them. For example, a teacher attending with a class of 30 pupils should submit one form indicating that 30 people are participating.
There is no maximum number of people who can take part. However, each designated group leader can only report a maximum of 100 people. If you are joining with more than 100 people, please identify and assign a designated group leader for every group of 100 people, to ensure you can accurately count the number of people reading.
I'm joining as a group - should we join on different devices?
To ensure as many people as possible can access the webinar, and to get the best experience on the day, we recommend joining together and playing the event on a large screen such as a projector for everyone in the group to see and hear. We do not recommend that under 16s join on individual devices as they may be asked to verify themselves on Zoom to join.
What if I can't take part in the full session?
Please note that the built-in reading time is scheduled to take place within the second half of each session, and therefore the pop-up form to submit your participation information will not be launched until approximately 30 minutes after the session start time. As long as you can take 10 minutes to read and complete the mandatory form, you don't need to stay on for the full session. However, we recommend that you attend at the session start time for the full event experience.
Will there be a recording available?
Yes, we will provide a link to the recording and this will be hosted on YouTube. However, the recording link will not be shared until Friday 9 October. To set the Guinness World Records title, we want to ensure that as many people as possible join us live during the webinar! We cannot include participants watching the recording on YouTube.
How can my organisation get involved?
Organisations can support the campaign by:
- Registering to attend
- Encouraging staff, pupils or communities to take part
- Promoting the campaign through newsletters and social media
- Sharing their participation on the day using campaign hashtags.
What happens if the record is successfully set?
Following the event, evidence will be submitted to Guinness World Records for verification. Once reviewed and officially approved, Guinness World Records will confirm whether a new record has been set. We aim to inform participants about whether we have been successful before 9 November 2026.
Will certificates be available?
All counted participants can order a Guinness World Records certificate at a cost. We will be able to provide a link to order once we know if we have set the record.
Will closed captions (subtitles) be available in multiple languages?
The event will be recorded and be streamed with closed captions for British English. However, attendees will have the choice to enable Zoom translated captions for 35 languages. View the list of supported languages here.
Where can I find more information?
Further information, registration details and promotional resources will be available from the National Literacy Trust and British Council campaign communications.
If you have a question for the events team, please contact communities@literacytrust.org.uk