The founder of an independent press has become the oldest-ever nominee for a UK trailblazer award.

This February, it was announced that Gareth James, founder of M2M (Margin to Margin) Books, was one of 12 shortlisted for the London Book Fair Trailblazer Award 2026.

James is only in the second year of the publishing house, established in Aberystwyth in November 2024.

With their first two books out last autumn, James has this year made history as the oldest nominee ever shortlisted for the accolade, at the ripe age of 61.

He said: "I am absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for such a prestigious accolade at the UK's largest and most important literary event.

“This nomination is a powerful validation of our mission.

“At Margin to Margin Books, we are striving to be more than just another independent press; we are an artisan press dedicated to a philosophy that actually shifts the needle: publishing books for marginalised audiences rather than simply about them.

“To be recognised as a 'trailblazer' at this early stage in my publishing career is a wonderful reminder that radical change is about vision, not age."

The Trailblazer Awards, run in partnership with the Society of Young Publishers and BookBrunch, celebrate the "rising stars" of the publishing world.

Based in Ceredigion, Margin to Margin Books has established itself for its mission to decentralise traditional publishing.

James’s philosophy moves beyond simply telling stories about marginalised communities; instead, he has pioneered a game-changing model of publishing high-quality literature specifically for those audiences.

Gareth joins a cohort of visionary professionals recognised for their ambition and impact: Andy Stewart, Arabella Watkiss, Caitlin Curry, Charlene Hughes, Daniel Li, Fatimah Abbas, Harley Lambrianou, Kathryn Tann, Madeline Adeane, Rebecca Gediking, and Ruby Fatimilehin.

The winner will be announced at the London Book Fair in March.