Professional Event Photographer in London of the SLA Awards at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education
The School Library Association’s Annual Awards 2025, held at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) in London, was an inspiring celebration of school libraries, literacy, and the people who champion reading for young learners. As the event photographer, I had the privilege of capturing the evening hosted by SLA CEO Victoria Dilly, with special guest speaker Anthony Horowitz, the bestselling author and screenwriter.
This blog post highlights the key moments of the awards ceremony, the winners, and what made this event such a joy to photograph.
Welcome Drinks & Nominee Photography
The event began with a warm welcome drinks reception amongst the books. This is always a good opportunity to get some general roaming event photography images:
During this time, I also photographed:
- All SLA Awards nominees together as a group
- Individual nominee portraits
- Nominees with Victoria Dilly, Anthony Horowitz, and sponsoring partners
These images set the visual narrative for the evening—professional yet celebratory, with nominees proud to represent their schools and library communities.
Victoria Dilly’s Opening Address
Victoria Dilly opened the ceremony with a heartfelt introduction emphasising the importance of literacy, reading for pleasure, and the vital role school libraries play in supporting children’s development. She also outlined the importance of the awards to ensure those dedicated to this endeavour are recognised. Her speech provided excellent opportunities for natural, engaging event photography as she connected with the audience.
Anthony Horowitz Keynote Speech
One of the highlights of the night was the keynote address by Anthony Horowitz, whose novels and TV work are loved by young readers and adults alike. His keynote was insightful, funny and deeply passionate about the power of reading, describing the school library as the beating heart of the school and recalling the moment he caught the reading bug. Capturing audience reactions—smiles, laughter, and moments of reflection—helped document the energy of his talk.
2025 School Library Association Award Winners
1. Enterprise of the Year Award
Sponsored by Reading Cloud – Presented by Ricky Nelson
Winner: Thomas A’Becket Infant School (West Sussex)
Collette Wade from the Thomas A’Becket team was thrilled to receive this honour, celebrating the community driven project to renovate their school library.
2. Peter Usborne Primary Library of the Year Award
Sponsored by Usborne Publishing – Presented by Jenny Tyler
Winner: Mangotsfield C of E Primary School (Bristol), led by Verity Robinson
This moment was filled with emotion as Verity Robinson and her team reacted with pride and gratitude. Their commitment to creative library spaces and reading culture is evident from their recent library refurbishment. This has benefited all children, from passionate readers through to those with difficulties such as dyslexia.
3. School Librarian of the Year Award
Sponsored by Browns Books – Presented by Gary Barber
Winner: Julie Broadbent, Northampton International Academy
The most prestigious award of the evening went to Julie Broadbent, whose emotional acceptance speech highlighted the dedication, passion, and care that define outstanding school librarians. Her clear devotion to the school library is clear – from keeping the library open at break times to student-led assemblies to book groups and giveaways. The reaction from the audience—and Julie’s heartfelt words—made this one of the standout photographic moments of the event.
Closing Speech & Final Portraits
The awards ceremony concluded with an emotional closing speech from Victoria Dilly, thanking librarians, educators, sponsors, and the wider SLA community. The evening rounded off with celebratory drinks and a series of portrait sessions with the award winners holding their trophies.
Why This Event Matters
From an event photography perspective, the SLA Annual Awards is a dream to document:
- Strong storytelling moments
- Inspiring speakers
- Emotional award announcements
- Engaged, passionate educators
- A visually rich venue in the CLPE
It’s an event that showcases the heart of literacy education in the UK—and it’s an honour to photograph professionals who dedicate their work to supporting young readers.
Do you require a Brighton event photographer? If so, head to my Contact page and drop me a line and let’s collaborate on your next event.
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