Endless possibilities: an update on the progress of the GLL Literary Foundation
As BfK readers know, a new foundation to support ‘up and coming’ children’s authors was established in November 2024 by charitable social enterprise and libraries operator GLL.
The GLL Literary Foundation offers up to 20 author bursary placements, alongside a number of additional author support placements, in areas where GLL operates public libraries under its ‘Better’ brand: Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth, Dudley and Lincolnshire.
Each author selected for a bursary placement receives £750 as well as further ‘in kind’ support valued at up to £4,000. All authors are partnered with a specialist local librarian ‘champion’, who will help them to deliver a series of author events and provide networking opportunities with local booksellers, publishers, literary festivals and schools. Authors are also offered three online business training courses.
Authors across all genres of children’s literature were encouraged to apply, including picture books, early readers, chapter books, poetry, non-fiction, novels, graphic and verse novels. Entries were submitted by publishers and assessed by a board of trustees drawn from GLL libraries.
Following our fabulous March launch, GLL Literary Foundation authors have been out and about visiting libraries, attending training sessions, meet ups, delivering events and attending industry events. Some of the June highlights include attending the Carnegie Awards and the CLiPPA Poetry Show to celebrate incredible authors, illustrators and children’s poets. We were fortunate at both events to have been given behind the scenes access to talk to the judges of these awards and learn about the process as well as getting the chance to talk to the winners and supporters. At both events, it was inspiring to hear the laughter and cheers from all the children involved in the shadowing groups and in selecting their winners. The Carnegie Medal award was a particularly special day for the GLL Literary Foundation team as our Patron Joseph Coelho OBE was hosting the event. Joseph was joined on stage by GLL Literary Foundation Trustee – Jake Hope (Carnegie Awards Executive) and of course Nathanael Lessore a GLL Literary Foundation supported author (and all round superstar) from Wandsworth won the Shadowers Choice Award!
In each article, we have provided a brief description of what we are up to at the GLL Literary Foundation, an account from one of our authors and an account from their Literary Foundation Champion. Below, Jonathan Sellars author of Polly Plum Brave Adventurer shares a tale about the heat, his hopes and his awe at attending the Carnegie Medals ceremony. Miriam Storey (Greenwich Literary Foundation Champion) highlights the power of collaboration and growth from poetry performances at the CLiPPA award to the development of the GLL Literary Foundation – we can all support each other to champion literature for all involved!
GLL Literary Foundation Author Jonathan Sellars
I’m sat in a packed London theatre waiting for the 2025 Carnegies to begin. There’s a heatwave, I’m wearing an outfit that even an arctic explorer would describe as ‘toasty’, and I spent the majority of my tube journey squished into someone’s armpit. But that’s not why I’m sweating.
No. I’m sweating because of the thought that’s just struck me. Okay yes, this is the most prestigious British literary award for writing for 
children, and okay yes, it has over 60 years of precedent behind it, but what if this year the judges have decided to do something different? What if this year they’ve chosen an author whose book wasn’t shortlisted? Or longlisted. Or even nominated (but was rejected by 28 agents and can be found only on his computer). And what if that author is me?
My heart races like an excited ostrich. What do I say in my speech? And should I be concerned they must have hacked into my computer? Did they randomly guess my password, or did someone tip them off that I love milkshakes? But who?
With the magic of hindsight, I now see that all that sweating was just reckless dehydration. But then again, was it my fault I dared to dream? Well, clearly yes. As the winners (all from the shortlist) were announced I felt at first relief, my milkshake-themed password remained un-cracked, and then a sense of awe. Not just at the way the hundreds of children in attendance whooped and cheered, but also at the way the winners spoke, the way they used their platform to amuse, thank, and speak out. In a rare moment of clarity, I saw what great books mean to children, and the power those who write them wield. The authors and illustrators who won at the 2025 Carnegies are brilliant – they deserve all the acclaim they get.
GLL Literary Foundation Champion – Miriam Storey
We are now halfway through the first year of the GLL Literary Foundation and what an amazing 6 months it has been, full of collaboration, support and new opportunities. I am the Literary Foundation Champion for four fantastic authors from the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Sharada Keats, Janelle McCurdy, Hannah Moffat and Mama G. It has been a privilege to work with these talented authors who bring so much energy, enthusiasm and commitment as well as a dedication and love of public libraries.
Recently in my role as GLL Literary Foundation champion I had the opportunity to attend the CLiPPA poetry awards with some of the GLL Literary Foundation authors. On a beautifully sunny day along London’s Southbank we gathered at the National Theatre along with lots of very excited school children who had come from across the country to be there. During the ceremony each finalist had two poems performed from their book, one by themselves and one from a school, chosen via a competition. The school children, in front of an audience of 800 in the theatre, brought the poems to life, their interpretations were funny, moving and really captured the essence of each poem. It reminded me of the creative possibilities of collaboration and how both the poets and children learnt from each other. As a member of the audience it certainly made me want to go back to the library and borrow some poetry books.
‘As a librarian I believe in the power of words and the life changing possibilities of books’
As a librarian I believe in the power of words and the life changing possibilities of books. Sometimes this can be a thunderbolt of inspiration or a moment of pure escapism, but often it is about smaller, but no less powerful, moments of recognition and connection. The Royal Borough of Greenwich is a diverse borough and it is important that we ensure children have access to a range of diverse and inclusive books. As our Greenwich GLL Literary Foundation authors have begun their school and library events this year it has been powerful to see those moments of connection for the children that attend. Not only to their own creativity and imaginations but to discover these authors live in Greenwich, in their communities, know the places they know and sometimes even grew up in the area! This has inspired them to see themselves as future published authors.
What I particularly enjoy about the GLL Literary Foundation is that it holds a space for growth. A network of support has grown across all the GLL library partnerships both for the authors and the GLL Literary Champions. It has been joyous to discover so many new authors and share experiences with colleagues. Feedback and discussion is encouraged from all areas of the GLL Literary Foundation and this enriches the experience as well as fuelling future ideas. Quite often the best journeys, just like the best stories, take you to unexpected places and cover new ground and I am looking forward to seeing how the GLL Literary Foundation develops in the future, the possibilities feel endless.
