Belfast family support worker wins first BookTrust Story Sharer of the Year Award for inspiring work on reading
17 October 2025
We’re delighted to announce that Angela McCabe, who works at Beechmount Sure Start in Belfast, is our first BookTrust Story Sharer of the Year.
A family support worker from Belfast has won the inaugural BookTrust Story Sharer of the Year Award for her outstanding work to bring the magic of books and reading to life.
Angela McCabe from Beechmount Sure Start in Belfast was announced as the winner during Story Sharer Week, BookTrust’s annual event celebrating the work of Early Years professionals.
The Story Sharer of the Year Award was launched for the first time this year, aiming to celebrate a brilliant Early Years professional who uses BookTrust’s programmes in an innovative way to share the joy of stories with children and their families.
How Angela creates engaging storytelling sessions for families
At Beechmount Sure Start, Angela runs an imaginative six-week storytelling programme using BookTrust’s resources and support to engage children and families in reading. Parents and carers are invited to join morning sessions full of play, exploration, fun, and stories.
Her popular sessions focus on sharing stories alongside strengthening parent-child bonds through play and communication. They include lots of activities that families can try at home, including creating stories of their own and building a personalised photo album that shows their progress.
Angela’s sessions aim to reduce social isolation, increase understanding of child development, and foster a love of reading. Her programme concludes with a trip to the local library, where families can join the service.
Angela – who was nominated for the Award by her colleague Penny Ambrose – said she was “so honoured” to receive the award.
Being recognised as a storyteller means so much to me because my passion has always been about sharing the joy of reading – not just the stories themselves, but the magic they create between parents and children.
Angela McCabe, BookTrust Story Sharer of the Year
She said: “Through every session, every themed activity, and every silly voice or dramatic pause, my goal has always been to make reading fun and meaningful from the start.
“To be acknowledged for that is incredibly special. I am so grateful to everyone who’s joined me on this journey, especially the families who show up, get involved, and carry the love of stories home with them.”
“A sprinkling of storytelling magic”
Kathryn Anderson, BookTrust’s Senior Partnerships Manager for Northern Ireland, and Story Sharer of the Year Award winner Angela McCabe.
Angela was picked as the Story Sharer of the Year by a judging panel featuring author, broadcaster and campaigner Baroness Floella Benjamin and BookTrust Writer in Residence Camilla Reid.
Reid said the judges were “amazed by the passion and commitment evident” in the entries, and added:
“For me, Angela’s entry particularly stood out because as well as being an unusually creative and inspiring storyteller with a granular attention to the detail of her craft, the focus of her work is always on encouraging story-sharing at home – because she knows that this is key, both to family happiness and to growing little readers.”
Meanwhile, Baroness Benjamin said that Angela stood out for her “sheer dedication to inspiring a lifelong love of sharing stories among children and families”, adding that her programmes are “filled with play, exploration, and innovation to fire up the imagination”.
Angela understands exactly how a sprinkling of storytelling magic can encourage reading, strengthen parent-child bonds, and build community connection at the same time.
Baroness Floella Benjamin
And BookTrust’s Director of Partnerships Julie Hayward described Angela as a “worthy winner”.
“Her brilliant work with families in Belfast shows just how powerful storytelling can be,” she said. “At BookTrust we know shared reading at an early age can have a lasting impact on a child’s development. Angela’s innovative programmes show a deep understanding of this.
“Like all the entrants for this award who do such incredible work with our programmes every day, she is providing vital experiences with effects that will last a lifetime.”
