Luton Airport has been recognised with a national award for its work supporting children’s literacy and education projects.
The airport received the National Literacy Trust’s 2026 Literacy Changemakers Award at the charity’s Vision for Literacy Business Pledge Awards. The honour recognises organisations helping children and young people develop literacy skills.
The award follows the first year of the airport’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust, during which fundraising and community initiatives helped support 61,000 children, fund more than 210,000 new books and train almost 240 Literacy Champions working in local communities.
Airport staff and passengers helped raise £31,500 during 2025 through events including the airport’s annual runway run, a golf day, bake sales and Christmas shopping nights.
Other initiatives included donating more than 1,000 books through the airport’s Classroom to Careers education programme, launching a staff book exchange and providing book vouchers for employees.
Earlier this year, Luton Airport chief executive Alberto Martin also joined the National Literacy Trust’s Business for Literacy Council alongside other senior business leaders.
Mr Martin said: “Our partnership with the National Literacy Trust exemplifies our ambition to create positive and enduring social impact that extends far beyond the airport boundary. In our first year of our partnership with the National Literacy Trust, we have worked hard to enhance access to books and provided vital funds for the charity, while reaching thousands of children through our community skills development and education programmes.
“This is just the beginning, and we are excited to continue our work helping to close the literacy gap and creating more opportunities for children and young people across our region. This award is a proud moment for everyone at London Luton Airport and wonderful recognition for the work carried out by our volunteers.”
Jonathan Douglas CBE, chief executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “London Luton Airport has made an outstanding contribution to improving literacy outcomes for children and young people, demonstrating a genuine commitment to placing literacy at the heart of their social responsibility work to create lasting impact.
“Literacy underpins social mobility, breaks cycles of poverty and fuels economic growth. Businesses like London Luton Airport have a vital role to play in supporting the literacy skills of the next generation and the development of a future workforce that is inclusive and able to grow.
“Their collaborative approach to help close the literacy gap embodies what the Literacy Changemakers Award was created to recognise. We are hugely grateful for their support and look forward to continuing our work together.”
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