We are thrilled to announce that Allison Potter, Manager of National Literacy Trust in Middlesbrough, and Imran Hafeez, Manager of National Literacy Trust in Bradford, have been recognised with MBEs for their services to education, the community and literacy in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2026.
Congratulations Allison
For over 30 years, Allison Potter has been at the forefront of tackling low levels of literacy in one of the poorest parts of our country. From roles in teaching and education and for over a decade working with the National Literacy Trust, she has made an unwavering commitment to building a more equitable society through literacy.
Under her leadership, thousands of children in Middlesbrough have had the chance to discover poetry and literature through an annual Poetry Slam and the Big Boro Book Bash - an annual reading festival that brings children from schools in high-priority areas who may not have books of their own at home, together with best-selling authors.
She has worked with early years providers, health visitors and social work teams, football clubs, museums, asylum seeker charities and the nearby prison. She is relentless in her belief that every child deserves the chance to discover the joy and opportunities that literacy brings. She has also created a growing network of volunteer Literacy Champions from the community she works in who support families directly with their literacy needs.
Across the early years, she has led pioneering projects that support new parents so their children get the start in life we all want them to have with a story and language rich home learning environment. In James Cook University hospital’s neonatal unit, parents are helped to read to their premature babies, helping neurological development and parental bonding, giving them a better start in life.
Her impact has reached far beyond the region; with the work she started over a decade ago in Middlesbrough establishing the blueprint for our community-based approach. The ethos that underpins this work is built on what Allison started in Middlesbrough – community and people come first, and literacy is the way to empower people and enable them to thrive.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent more than a decade working with the fantastic people of Middlesbrough as Manager for the National Literacy Trust, helping to inspire a lifelong love of reading among families across the town. We believe literacy is for everyone, and since 2013 we have worked alongside James Cook University Hospital and Middlesbrough Football Club, care homes and cafés, as well as schools and community partners, to provide vital literacy support for those who need it most. Over the years, I have seen first-hand the transformative impact that reading for pleasure can have on children and young people. I never tire of seeing the joy on a child’s face when they are given a beautiful new book to take home and keep. This honour is a reflection of the incredible partnerships we have built together over the years, and I am absolutely delighted to accept it on behalf of everyone involved in our shared mission to empower children and young people with the literacy skills they need to thrive.”
Allison Potter
“Allison has been pivotal in helping provide, drive, implement and support initiatives which have had measured, long lasting and a transformational impact on the lives of children at our school.”
Catherine Steel-Brewster, Deputy Headteacher at Beech Grove Primary School
Congratulations Imran
Imran Hafeez has been a central figure in the literacy landscape of Bradford for over a decade. The links between poverty and low literacy in Bradford are strong and intergenerational, but thanks to Imran’s commitment and vision, they are not inevitable.
One of Imran’s greatest achievements is taking books and stories directly to where people are in the Bradford Stories Bus. Once an American school bus, it has been transformed into an inspiring space for storytelling, reading and writing. It reaches thousands of Bradford children and young people in schools and communities where the need for literacy support is greatest. Imran has become a familiar figure to thousands of children when he arrives on the bus and treats children to storytelling and fun literacy activities.
A father himself, a poet and performer he has made it his personal mission to break down barriers to opportunity and inspire children, no matter their background, to engage with literacy. He is trusted by teachers, faith leaders, community partners and families and is a tireless champion of all that is best about Bradford.
He developed the charity’s volunteer Literacy Champions programme in 2017 and has helped it to grow, enabling a broad spectrum of society in Bradford - people from barber shops, youth and community centres, sports clubs, faith groups and businesses – to take up the fight against low literacy.
Imran is an organiser, community mobiliser and personally inspiring to the many children and families he works with every day and thanks to his innovations, his example and ideas have informed how the National Literacy Trust works across the UK – benefiting the lives of hundreds of thousands each year.
"As someone who grew up in Bradford, I have witnessed first-hand the challenges that children and families experience in our city. Supporting my community in my role as Manager of National Literacy Trust in Bradford has been one of the greatest privileges of my life and I am honoured to accept this MBE on behalf of everyone I work with to ensure that the links between poverty and low literacy in Bradford are not inevitable. Working alongside local families, volunteers and partners to empower families and celebrate the city’s multilingual strengths, we’ve helped thousands of people access the joy and opportunity that literacy brings. Our commitment began in 2014, but the impact continues to grow as we build relationships, remove barriers and celebrate the voices of Bradford. I am proud of what we have achieved and even more excited for what the next chapter will bring."
Imran Hafeez
“Imran is a humble, inspiring individual, who has huge ambitions for the communities of the Bradford District. His work across the district’s schools, and with all communities, to allow children to create and voice their stories has been magical.”
Kersten England CBE DL, Chair of Bradford Culture Company
How we come alongside our communities to make change happen
Today, the National Literacy Trust is active in over 21 communities, including Middlesbrough and Bradford, delivering place based support where it’s needed most. And the impact is real: In the priority wards where we work most intensively with schools, businesses, volunteers and local partners, children and young people’s reading skills and engagement have improved significantly compared to their peers nationally in England.
In these high priority areas, the reading skills of pupils at the end of key stage 2 have risen three times faster than those of their peers across England between 2023-2025 - effectively closing the attainment gap. The national average in England for pupils meeting the expected standard in reading increased from 73% in 2023 to 75% in 2025 (2 percentage points). Yet in the priority wards where we have been working, the proportion has increased from 66% in 2023 to 73% in 2025 (7 percentage points).
A powerful reminder of what happens when communities, steered by brilliant leaders like Allison and Imran, come together to champion literacy.
From everyone at the National Literacy Trust, congratulations Allison and Imran!