Caitlin Curry, originally from Newcastle, was named one of five winners of the 2026 Trailblazer Awards.
The awards, run by The London Book Fair in partnership with the Publishers Association, the Society of Young Publishers and BookBrunch, celebrate publishing professionals in the first 10 years of their career who have shown outstanding creativity, dedication and innovation.
Ms Curry is the founder of London Girls Book Club.
Caitlin Curry, a book lover from Newcastle, has been named one of five winners of the 2026 Trailblazer Awards, earning recognition in the publishing industry. (Image: Supplied)
Ms Curry, 28, first discovered a love of reading as a pupil at Eppleton Primary School in Hetton-le-Hole, before growing up in Winlaton and going on to study at St Robert of Newminster Catholic School, where she first began applying to train as a teacher.
She later completed a primary teaching degree at York St John University.
Six years ago she launched London Girls Book Club, which began with just three people at its first meet-up and has since grown to more than 20,000 members across its platforms.
More than 300 women now attend monthly socials, book clubs, book-themed trips abroad to destinations including Bali, Morocco and Iceland, and retreats run in partnership with Counterpoise Wellness.
Having moved to London, Ms Curry set out to bring a Geordie-friendly atmosphere to the capital, with the club focused on supporting mental health, building friendships, sharing a love of reading, helping women meet others with similar interests.
She was nominated for the award by Hannah Penny, PR director at Electric Monkey, following a series of author events they worked on together, each drawing more than 60 attendees and showcasing her creative skills as a chair and supporter of writers.
Emma Lowe, director of The London Book Fair, said: “These awards celebrate remarkable individuals that have demonstrated passion, commitment and fearless innovation in the early stages of their career.
“We’re looking forward to honouring the winners at LBF this week, with some of them sharing their insights in a session on the Main Stage, and hoping they will inspire many more to accomplish great things in our industry.”
The London Girls Book Club now runs bookshop collaborations and author chairing events with major publishers including Penguin, Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Pan Macmillan and Electric Monkey.
Last year, it hosted more than 100 events across the UK.
Ms Curry is being recognised for her work in building a vibrant reading community that connects publishers and authors with engaged audiences.
Events include creative socials and bookshop collaborations and co-hosted author events.
Hannah Penny, PR director at Electric Monkey, said: “Caitlin Curry has created the most special community in London Girls Book Club, which brings together communities of readers and authors in a truly innovative way.
“She is a real powerhouse in publishing, and achieves amazing things, all on top of her day job.
“Beyond that, she’s just the kindest and loveliest person to work with.”
Now in their eleventh year, the Trailblazer Awards honour early-career professionals who are shaping the future of publishing through innovation and dedication.
Other 2026 winners include Daniel Li, marketing manager at Sinoist Books; Harley Lambrianou, audio director at Jade Monkey Audio; Rebecca Gediking, head of GLL Libraries and GLL Literary Foundation; and Ruby Fatimilehin, assistant editor at Hamish Hamilton.
The awards ceremony takes place this week during The London Book Fair at Olympia London, where Ms Curry and the other winners will be celebrated for their achievements.
Some of the winners will also take part in a seminar discussion titled How to Get Into Publishing with the 2026 Trailblazers on Thursday, March 12 at 1.45pm on the Main Stage at The London Book Fair.
Each winner receives a Trailblazer certificate, a complimentary ticket to this year’s and next year’s fair, membership to the Society of Young Publishers, and a free subscription to BookBrunch.
The London Book Fair returns to Olympia London from March 10 to 12.
It is the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels.
For more information about this year’s winners and the full shortlist, visit hub.londonbookfair.co.uk.
