Welcoming Baroness Sanderson and Maureen Corish to the Board of Trustees
The Reading Agency is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Trustees to its board: Baroness Sanderson of Welton and Maureen Corish.
Baroness Sanderson of Welton brings a wealth of experience in politics and public service. A Conservative peer in the House of Lords, she has a background in journalism as a former feature writer with The Mail on Sunday and served as an adviser to former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Theresa May. In September 2022, Baroness Sanderson was commissioned by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to undertake an independent review of English public libraries. Completed in August 2023, her review made eight wide-ranging recommendations to better support public libraries and ensure they are properly recognised as one of the most valuable community assets at our disposal.
Maureen Corish joins the board with over 30 years of experience in media and communications. Currently the managing director of Pumpkin, an award-winning B2B PR agency for global media and advertising clients, Corish’s career spans journalism and in-house communications roles at prestigious organizations including the BBC, Emap PLC, and Penguin Random House.
During her tenure as UK & International Communications Director for Penguin Random House, Maureen was recognised as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Publishing by The Bookseller and featured in PR Week’s Power Book for her role in communicating the £2.45 billion merger between Penguin Books and Random House.
Baroness Sanderson said: “I am delighted to join The Reading Agency as a Trustee. Having recently completed an in-depth review of our public library system, I’ve seen first-hand the transformative power of reading and its vital role in our communities. I look forward to supporting The Reading Agency’s crucial work in promoting reading for pleasure and harnessing its potential to address some of society’s most pressing challenges. Together, we can ensure that the joy and benefits of reading reach every corner of our nation.”
Expressing her enthusiasm for joining The Reading Agency, Maureen Corish stated: “When mentoring my teams, they often ask: ‘how do I improve?’. My answer is always: ‘read’. Read for pleasure. Read for health. Read for opportunity. Find joy in a beautiful turn of phrase and satisfaction in a story well told. Everything changes when you read, and I’m delighted to be joining the Reading Agency and their inspiring and committed board. I’m honoured to have the opportunity to support their incredibly important mission of promoting reading for pleasure.”
Paul Kelly, Chair of The Reading Agency, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Baroness Sanderson and Maureen Corish to our board of Trustees. Their combined expertise in public policy, libraries, and media communications will be invaluable as we continue to champion the transformative power of reading across the UK.”
The Reading Agency looks forward to the valuable contributions these new Trustees will bring to its mission of tackling life’s big challenges through the power of reading.
