About the RLF

The Royal Literary Fund is a benevolent fund for professional published authors; it is funded exclusively by bequests and donations from writers and others who wish to help writers. We give help to writers in many different situations where personal or professional setbacks have resulted in loss of income. We also provide support for older writers who have seen their earnings decrease. This work helps around 200 writers every year.
An RLF Beneficiary
An RLF Fellow tutoring a student
The RLF also runs a Fellowship scheme for writers in partnership with universities. Writers work one-to-one with students, using their expertise in language and communication to help them develop their essay writing. Writing Fellows are appointed based on their literary merit and aptitude for the role, and irrespective of their financial circumstances. This year 115 Fellows are working in 80 universities across the nations of the UK.

Patron
Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

President and Chair
Sir Ian Blatchford

Chief Executive
Edward Kemp

Trustees
Nelle Andrew
Terence Blacker
Dan Franklin
Brenda Gardner
George Graham
Hilary Hale
Paula Hawkins
Mark Lawson
Mark Le Fanu, OBE
Colin Ludlow
Colin Luke
Susheila Nasta MBE
Dreda Say Mitchell, MBE
Judith Murray
Michael Symmons Roberts
Fiona Sampson, MBE
Marianne Velmans
Ellah P. Wakatama, OBE

Our Team

Dr Karin Altenberg, Head of Bridge, England and Wales
Mary Colson, Assistant Head of Outreach
Steve Cook (Hon. FRSL), Director of Education
Colin Grant, Director of WritersMosaic
Laura Hird, Head of Bridge, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Richard Le Cocq, Head of Marketing and Communications
Katharine McMahon, Head of Outreach
Justine Palmer, Head of Grants
Dr David Swinburne, Director of Digital

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