How Portsmouth pulled off its record-breaking reading lesson

Surpassing the previous Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Reading Lesson in Multiple Venues, the World Book Day spectacular saw 6,715 participants take part in a 40-minute lesson led by retired local headteacher Howard Payne, alongside Sunday Times bestselling author of the Jamie Johnson series, Dan Freedman.

Bringing the ambitious record attempt to life was no mean feat, with months of planning and coordination between Portsmouth Creates, Portsmouth Football Club, Pompey in the Community, Portsmouth Library Services, 46 local schools, more than 60 volunteers and a range of transport and logistics partners including South Western Railway, Powells of Portsmouth and Pete’s Air Link.

Portsmouth Football Club was instrumental in bringing the record attempt to life, with Fratton Park hosting the main event and Sparks Community Space, just a stone’s throw from the club, joining the lesson via live stream.

Andrew Cullen, CEO of Portsmouth FC said:"We were proud to host such a memorable event at Fratton Park.

"Bringing together thousands of young people for a shared reading lesson created a brilliant atmosphere in the stadium and showed the power that football clubs can deliver to support education and inspire the next generation.

"I am extremely grateful to my colleagues for all their hard work planning the complex operational logistics for such a big event.

"Events like this are exactly what we want Fratton Park to be used for - a place that brings the community together and creating moments that people will remember for a lifetime."

During the event, detailed behind-the-scenes processes - including stewarding, attendance tracking, paperwork collection, tally checks, auditing and verification - helped ensure the final participant count met Guinness World Records’ official requirements.

In the run-up to the record attempt, a wide range of sponsors and partners also played a vital role in bringing the ambitious idea to life, supporting the planning, logistics and delivery of the event that had been months in the making. Lead sponsor was PMC Construction in partnership with Hyde Housing, alongside The Eisner Foundation, Portsmouth City Council, Victorious Festival, the University of Portsmouth and Arts Council England. Many of the sponsors attended on the day, watching the lesson and joining in the celebrations as the record was confirmed.

“We are proud to have supported this landmark Guinness World Record attempt, which has shone a light on the importance of reading for young people across Portsmouth,” said Steve Cripps, Managing Director from PMC Construction.

“Reading is a lifelong skill that can make such a difference to a child’s future - helping them build confidence, succeed at school and grow in ways that stay with them forever. It was fantastic to see so many children, schools and organisations come together for such a positive and memorable occasion.”

The inspirational record-breaker - spearheaded by Portsmouth Creates, Portsmouth Football Club, Pompey in the Community and Portsmouth Library Services - marked the culmination of Portsmouth Creates’ In Our Words campaign, a city-wide celebration of stories, reading and creativity that has brought more than 200 literary events to communities across Portsmouth.

“Over the past year, In Our Words has reached people of all ages and backgrounds from nurseries to care homes,” said Gemma Nichols, CEO of Portsmouth Creates.

“To see that journey culminate in a Guinness World Record, with thousands of young people taking part, was both moving and unforgettable. It speaks volumes about Portsmouth’s creative energy, community spirit and ability to deliver ambitious cultural moments on a major scale.”

Gemma added: “We will now turn our attention to the city’s wider cultural ambitions as we continue our journey towards UK City of Culture 2029. The record attempt was a powerful example of the energy, partnership and creativity that will continue to shape the city’s next chapter.”

For more information about Portsmouth Creates please visit portsmouthcreates.co.uk