GLL, the charitable social enterprise operating Libraries and Leisure Centres across the UK, has today (9 June 2026) announced that it will be supporting the National Year of Reading as a major campaign partner alongside national organisations, including BBC Sport, Audible, DC Thomson and Tesco.

To mark the partnership, GLL, operating under the Better brand, commissioned new research into the reading habits of active Brits, and the findings make a compelling case for reading as a core part of the modern wellness toolkit, alongside sleep, nutrition, and physical recovery.

Reading as a recovery tool

The study of 2,000 UK adults, half of whom regularly play sport or exercise, found that reading has quietly become one of the most popular ways active Brits look after themselves, sitting comfortably alongside the sleep, nutrition and mindfulness habits that have long been part of the wellness conversation.

More than a third of active Brits (36%) use reading to switch off after sport or exercise, surpassing scrolling on social media (27%) and beating meditation (12%). Only watching TV or films (55%) and listening to music or podcasts (39%) rank higher as post-exercise recovery habits.

The benefits reported go well beyond simple relaxation. Among those who exercise regularly:

• Better sleep is one of the most commonly reported benefits, with 37% saying reading helps them switch off and recover
• More than a third (35%) say it improves their focus and concentration
• Reading provides extra motivation for a quarter of active adults (23%)
• One in five (21%) use it as a tool for mental recovery after sport
• Roughly one in seven (14%) say it has helped them develop their understanding of strategy and tactics

The survey found that active Brits read an average of 7.09 hours a month, and two in three (69%) turn to reading in the evening before bed. This points to a clear link between reading, winding down, and sleep quality.

More than half of active Brits (55%) say reading reduces their stress and anxiety, pointing to reading's role not just as a leisure activity, but as a genuine tool for mental recovery.

Britain's sporting readers: a sport-by-sport breakdown

The research also reveals clear differences in how each sporting community relates to reading.

As the World Cup approaches, footballers emerge as some of its most enthusiastic advocates. More than half (55%) say reading improves their focus and concentration, 40% say it helps them switch off and recover faster, and 37% say it has a positive impact on their athletic performance or motivation. Over a third (35%) say having free access to books and audiobooks at their local leisure centre would encourage them to read more.

Runners tell a similar story: 43% say reading improves their sleep and aids recovery, and 47% say it improves their focus. Romance is the genre of choice for runners (24%), while footballers gravitate towards sports books (38%) and self-improvement titles (24%). Gym-goers and yoga and Pilates practitioners show the highest rates of reading for stress relief – 60% and 58%, respectively, say reading reduces their stress and anxiety. Swimmers are close behind at 58%.

When it comes to reading volume, golfers lead the way at over 8 hours a month on average, followed by yoga and pilates-goers (7.8 hours), and walkers/hikers (7.23 hours).

Reading and the mental side of sport

The data also highlights reading's growing role in the mental performance of sport, with one in five saying reading helps them manage the mental demands of their sport or training and 17% saying it has a positive impact on their performance or motivation. Additionally, 13% say reading helps them visualise their performance, a technique long recognised in sport psychology as a tool for improving results, and nearly one in ten say it helps reduce pre-competition nerves.

The link between reading and mental performance is particularly evident among footballers, with 37% saying reading has a positive impact on their athletic performance or motivation, which is one of the highest figures of any sporting group in the study.

GLL's partnership with the National Year of Reading

As part of the partnership GLL will be promoting the benefits of reading to the 750,000 members who visit its 250 Better leisure centres across the UK, through digital communications, in-centre advertising and a series of free author visits.

The partnership reflects GLL’s unique position as both a major leisure operator and the UK's largest public library provider, operating under the Better brand. The partnership will feature a series of author events hosted at Better leisure centres over the summer months.

“Our new research* shows that active Brits already understand the connection between reading and wellbeing. By partnering with the National Year of Reading, we want to make it even easier for the communities we serve, whether they're coming through our leisure centre doors or our library doors, to discover the benefits of reading for themselves."  Phil Donnay GLL CEO designate and chair of the GLL Literary Foundation.

“We are delighted to welcome GLL as an official partner of the National Year of Reading 2026. As the biggest reading campaign in a generation, our mission is to inspire people everywhere to rediscover the joy of reading and embed it into everyday life. We’re inviting the nation to read into their interests - whether that’s running, football, going to the gym, swimming or cycling - because reading helps you go deeper into the passions you already love. We know that reading boosts wellbeing, confidence and learning, and we are excited to share these benefits with GLL’s members across the UK.”  David Hayman, campaign director, National Year of Reading 

*Methodology

A survey of 2000 UK adults conducted between 20–27 May 2026, 1000 nationally representative UK adults (weighted by age, gender, and region) and 1000 UK adults who regularly play sport or exercise.

School assemblies and water safety messages as part of swim lessons

The UK's largest public pools and swim school operator, GLL, is providing timely activities during Drowning Prevention Week (13-20 June 2026) to raise awareness of water safety ahead of kids breaking up for the summer holidays.

Charitable social enterprise GLL operates over 145 pools, lidos and open water facilities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland under the 'Better' brand – many of which will offer Water Safety Lessons in Swim School sessions and School Swimming lessons, while some staff will go into local schools to deliver Water Safety Assemblies.

Drowning Prevention Week is an annual campaign run by the national charity the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK). GLL is RLSS UK's first Water Safety Education Partner - GLL and RLSS UK Partner on Water Safety in UK Swim Lessons.

Every year, children drown when falling into the water or getting into difficulties when swimming. Between 2020 to 2022 and 2023 to 2025, the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) shows that the number of child drowning deaths has increased 67%. 

On average, over the last 5 years, 723 people drowned in the UK and Ireland each year, with 71% of child drownings happening between May and August, according to RLSS UK. 

At least 17 adults and children died in water-related incidents during the UK's May heatwave.

Water Safety Code

To help avoid accidental drowning deaths this summer, the public are being urged not to jump in after someone - as difficult as it may seem - stay calm, stay on land, and always follow this 4-step Water Safety Code.

Whenever you are around water:

• Stop and Think - Always swim in a safe place, spot the dangers.  Take advice from signs and lifeguards.
• Stay Together - Always go with friends or family. Keep young children within arm's reach.

In an emergency:

• Call 999 - Don’t enter the water to rescue.
• Float - Float on your back and call for help. Throw something that floats to somebody that has fallen in.

"Ashley Jones, head of water safety education at RLSS UK, commented: “We are grateful to GLL for their support in amplifying Drowning Prevention Week's key water safety messages nationwide. By working together, we can all help create communities free from drowning. The Water Safety Code is designed to be simple, clear, and easy to remember, equipping people, especially young children and teenagers, with the knowledge they need to stay safe around water, as well as the confidence to make vital early decisions and save lives in an emergency.”

3234 talented athletes from 69 areas in the UK to benefit from £2.23m of support as the GLL Sport Foundation announces its 2026/27 athlete cohort

Charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op GLL has announced a record-breaking 3234 athletes from across the UK will benefit from the 2026 intake of its GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) – the largest independent athlete award programme in the UK.

Now in its 18th year, the GLL Sport Foundation has so far contributed nearly £20m worth of athlete funding and support and distributed nearly 35,000 awards to young and talented athletes in 69 areas of the UK where GLL operate and across 121 different sports.

With 86% of this year's cohort receiving no other form of funding - up 3% from 2025 - it outlines the significant contribution the athlete programme makes against the challenge of the ongoing cost of living crisis. 

Over 18 years, the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) has continued to be at the forefront of developing local young athletic talent with 63% of athletes under the age of 21.

GLL’s own research shows that many talented athletes struggle to realise their dreams of sporting glory due to rising costs of equipment, training, physiotherapy, travel and nutrition. For them, a GSF Award can be the lifeline to staying in training and meeting their potential.

At the National GSF Awards Launch Event held at London's Copper Box Arena on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 6 May, athletes and partners gathered to hear how this year's GSF athlete award fund of £2.23m will help support talented athletes on their sporting journey.

The GSF supports athletes through financial bursaries, access to physical rehabilitation and mental wellbeing support and all athletes are also given access to over 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its "BETTER" brand.

37% of GSF 2026's cohort are new applicants - showing the successful growth and reach of the scheme across communities in Northern Ireland, Wales and England. 

Current GSF National Ambassadors include Joe Clarke, Kimberley Woods, Tulley Kearny, Louise Fiddes, Lilah Fear, Lewis Gibson and Daryl Neita.   Amongst GSF Alumni are Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds and Anthony Joshua.

GSF athletes represented Team GB at the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milano-Cortina and will also take their marks at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow this summer. 

GSF patron Sally Gunnell OBE said: “It's fantastic to see the GLL Sport Foundation announcing its largest ever award cohort in 2026.

"The support continues to make a difference to young athletes at precisely the point in their careers when they most need it - keeping them training and focused on success. I wish them the very best of luck in their sporting careers."

GSF chair and GLL CEO Peter Bundey said: “GLL is a successful worker-owned cooperative and charitable social enterprise that has brought growing impact to public services and local communities over 33 years of successful operation.

“Our GLL Sport Foundation remains central to our remit to widen and deepen opportunities available to talented young athletes and build a legacy through sport.

“Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and our own purposed business model we are delighted to announce a record 3234 athletes will benefit from the programme this year. I want to wish them every success and we look forward to seeing them in competition here and abroad in years to come."

Speaking at the launch, GSF legacy ambassador Ellie Simmonds, OBE, who uses Better's Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre for her training said: “It’s amazing that GLL continues to support younger, up-and-coming athletes with free access to their sports facilities."

Last year, charitable social enterprise GLL embarked on a new partnership with The Felix Project, London’s largest food redistribution charity.

Six months on, and the collaboration has proved to be a resounding success. Approximately 76 tonnes of fresh produce has been handed out to the capital’s residents via GLL-run leisure centres – an amount that equals more than 180,000 free meals.

GLL runs sports facilities in Greater London under the ‘Better’ brand in partnership with local authorities. Meanwhile, The Felix Project and FareShare works with the food industry - rescuing high-quality, surplus food that cannot be sold and would otherwise go to waste - and redistributing it to people living in food insecurity.

As two non-profit-making organisations, GLL and The Felix Project and FareShare have a particularly harmonious relationship as both are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of local communities.

So far, Felix Fresh pop-up markets have been hosted at ‘Better’ facilities in the boroughs of Barnet, Croydon, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Waltham Forest – all areas which have been identified as having residents on some of the lowest incomes in London.

These events have succeeded due to real collective effort between the two organisations. Colleagues from ‘Better’ have ‘mucked in’ with workers from Felix - between them, giving out food parcels to individuals and community groups in record time.

The giveaways have also provided an opportunity for Better staff to tell customers about other initiatives such as the Holiday and Food schemes (HAF) and Healthwise.

Colin Coughtrey, GLL’s national community engagement manager, comments, “It’s been a privilege to work alongside The Felix Project and Fareshare over the past six months. From day one, it was clear that our values are closely aligned, with a shared commitment to supporting communities, tackling inequality, and improving health and wellbeing.

“Together, we’ve been able to reach thousands of residents with vital support, not only providing access to nutritious food but also connecting people to wider services within our centres.

“This partnership is a powerful example of what can be achieved through collaboration, and we’re incredibly proud of the impact so far. We look forward to building on this success and continuing to support communities together in the months ahead.”

GLL leisure centres in the boroughs of Camden, Hillingdon, and Islington are currently making plans to collaborate with Felix in the coming months.

Rachel Ledwith, head of communities at The Felix Project and FareShare, contributes, “I cannot thank GLL enough for all their support. Every year, during harvest season, huge amounts of healthy, homegrown fruit and vegetables are at risk of going to waste.

“Felix Fresh is helping us to combat this, but we are only able to do it when we have the right partners in place. GLL is exactly that - because of them, so many people and families are getting free, healthy food and helping us to reduce food waste. We look forward to more success over the next 6 months.”

Team England is delighted to announce a new partnership with GLL, the UK’s largest charitable leisure social enterprise, as preparations build toward the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The partnership brings together two organisations with a shared mission: helping people across England get active, discover new sports and feel part of something bigger. Through its network of Better leisure centres, GLL supports millions of visits every year, and will now play a major role in connecting communities to Team England in the lead‑up to the Games.

At the heart of the partnership is the Team England National Sports Weekend, taking place on 18th – 19th July 2026 across GLL venues nationwide. The weekend will open the doors to Commonwealth sports, offering free or low‑cost sessions, coaching and taster activities for local communities. Around 300,000 people are expected to take part, giving families, young people and new participants the chance to try something different, get closer to the spirit of this year’s Commonwealth Games, and meet some Team England legends.

Speaking about the partnership, Mark Osikoya, CEO of Commonwealth Games England, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with GLL who are an organisation that share our belief in the power of sport to bring people together. With their incredible reach into communities across England, this partnership will help more people feel connected to Team England and inspired by the journey to Glasgow 2026.”

Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL, added: “GLL is proud to support Team England and to help open up Commonwealth sports to people of all ages and abilities. The National Sports Weekend will be a fantastic celebration of movement, community and opportunity. We can’t wait to welcome thousands of people into our centres this summer.”

GLL has a long track record of supporting both elite and community sports, from backing the London 2012 Games bid to operating Olympic venues in legacy mode.  In 2008 it launched the GLL Sport Foundation, to help talented young athletes facing financial hardship.  To date the Foundation has provided over 35,000 awards and almost £20million worth of support to aspiring sportsmen and women.