Meet the people who help make BookTastic happen.
Noreen is Deputy Headteacher at a vibrant, multicultural primary school, where she also leads English and champions a love of reading across the curriculum. As a BookTastic trustee, she brings a deep understanding of how to engage children and teachers with books, and is passionate about developing meaningful reading experiences in school communities.
Bridget is an entrepreneur, angel investor, and public speaker with a background in tech and government. She co-founded the scheduling platform YouCanBookMe.com (acquired in 2025) and now serves as Strategic Advisor to Capacity.com. A former Special Advisor in both central and local government, Bridget brings strategic insight, startup experience, and a passion for impact-driven innovation to BookTastic’s board.
Lisa is an experienced leader in global operations, content strategy, and organisational development for multinational companies. A lifelong reader and committed advocate for equal opportunities, she joined the BookTastic board to help ensure that all children—regardless of background—have the chance to discover the joy of reading.
Rosamund brings over 15 years of experience in communications and events within the publishing industry. As Head of Campaigns at Penguin General, she leads innovative publicity strategies across multiple imprints. Formerly Head of Publicity at Penguin Random House Children’s, she has worked with many of the UK’s leading authors and illustrators, including on campaigns for Puffin, Ladybird, and Roald Dahl. With a postgraduate degree in education, Rosamund brings both strategic and educational insight to her work—and to her role on the BookTastic board.
Alison is a Registered British Sign Language Interpreter, CODA (child of Deaf adults), and co-founder of Access Bedford—a charity dedicated to improving communication access for Deaf sign language users in Bedfordshire. With deep personal and professional experience in navigating and challenging inaccessibility, Alison brings a practical, people-focused approach to inclusive design. Her work is grounded in the lived experiences of those facing barriers to participation, and she is passionate about making BookTastic accessible to all.
Naomi Rouse has led girls’ education, youth livelihoods and wood industry development programmes in Tanzania for over twenty years. She’s currently exploring improved strategies for forest value chain development for a PhD at the University of Bristol and is excited by sustainable forestry as a sweet spot where commercial, social, and environmental benefits align. She loves getting behind high impact initiatives like Booktastic that are unlocking young people’s enormous potential!
Paul has been part of BookTastic since 2016, initially joining as an on-the-day volunteer before becoming involved in the planning and delivery of the festival each year. Paul’s primary focus has been overseeing volunteer recruitment and management, ensuring the smooth running of the event. Outside of BookTastic, he works as a Business Analyst for an event management software company, delivering tailored solutions for a wide range of events—from conferences and congresses to the Olympic Games.
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