"Historic moment for the city" as thousands of children set new Guinness World Record for biggest reading lesson

Held on World Book Day at Fratton Park, the lesson hosted 6,715 participants from schools across Portsmouth and its surrounding area, surpassing the previous record of 3,509 participants, set by Eastbourne Area Secondary Schools in 2014.

Portsmouth Creates, Portsmouth Football Club, Pompey in the Community and Portsmouth Library Services organised the event, which was hosted by Blue Peter presenter Abby Cook, with Portsmouth FC’s mascot, Nelson the dog, flanking her side.

Gemma Nichols, CEO of Portsmouth Creates, said: “Seeing thousands of young people come together at Fratton Park for this moment has been incredibly powerful and moving.

“Over the past year, the In Our Words campaign has shown how creativity, storytelling and collaboration can open the door to reading for people of all ages across the city.

“From schools to community spaces and care homes, the programme has brought together Portsmouth’s cultural, educational and community partners with a shared belief in the importance of literacy.

“The event has really been a celebration not only of reading, but of the energy, creativity and collective community spirit that defines Portsmouth.”

The new record also coincides with the National Year of Reading, managed by the National Literacy Trust, which aims to instill a passion for reading across the city.

Youngsters had the exciting opportunity to get involved in a 35 minute reading lesson, which was led by retired headteacher, Howard Payne, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Jamie Johnson series Dan Freedman and Clare Martin MBE, CEO of Pompey in the Community.

During the session, Dan read from his book ‘I Am Lenny Brown’, pupils were guided through a structured reading experience and they listened to passages from the story before reflecting on its themes and discussing the characters together.

Andrew Cullen, chief executive officer at Portsmouth Football Club, said: “This was truly a day to remember and a historic moment for the city.

“Portsmouth FC proudly sits at the heart of the community, and it was fantastic to see the power of partnership across the city and what can be achieved when organisations work together to create life-changing opportunities.”

The once-in-a-lifetime lesson was also hosted at Sparks Community Space, located a stone’s throw from Fratton Park.

Following the exercise, which formed the culmination of Portsmouth’s year-long literacy campaign ‘In Our Words’, football freestyler Jay Rosa wowed with a 15-minute performance.

“Improving literacy levels across Portsmouth is one of the most important investments we can make in our young people”, Cllr Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, explained.

He continued: “Reading builds confidence, curiosity and aspiration – it not only opens doors and helps children believe in what they can achieve, but it is also the basis for their future.

“This event has helped to send a powerful message about Portsmouth - that we are a city that supports our community, we believe in our potential and we are determined to raise aspirations for future generations. You can see why bidding to become UK City of Culture in 2029 is on our agenda.”