Publisher unveils national book campaign after winning Entrepreneur of the Year award
A publisher has launched her new national campaign to support young authors from diverse backgrounds during an acceptance speech for Entrepreneur of the Year.
Winsome Duncan, from Bermondsey, chief executive of publishers Peaches Books, was named as Entrepreneur of the Year at Southwark’s annual Business Excellence Awards on February 19.
The awards are organised by Southwark council and Southwark Chamber of Commerce. Fifty business were shortlisted across seven categories and the winners were selected through both a public vote and a judging system.
During her acceptance speech, Ms Duncan unveiled a new partnership between her Look Like Me book challenge and advertising company Clear Channel for a campaign to promote diverse main characters in UK literature and empower young authors aged seven to 18 across the UK.
The Look Like Me book challenge promotes creative writing from underrepresented and marginalised groups, particularly young people and those from black and minority ethnic communities.
The campaign will showcase diverse books written by young authors on billboards, bus stops, phone boxes and shopping centres across the country.
Ms Duncan said: “Within our community, it is our responsibility to cultivate and illuminate young diverse voices in UK literature and amplify their lived experiences when telling their cultural legacy stories.”
Pictured top: Winsome Duncan (middle) was named Entrepreneur of the Year at Southwark’s annual Business Excellence Awards (Picture: Winsome Duncan)