As from January 2009, Get Into Reading groups are being set up in East Lancashire (Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale and Hyndburn). These boroughs, which once led the world in the production of cotton and other manufactured goods, now contain many wards where there are extremely high levels of deprivation and subsequently mental and physical health issues. As a result, East Lancashire Primary Care Trust is coming up with some very creative ways to help prevent stress and depression and work with people who are suffering long term health problems. Working in partnership with Lancashire County Council Library Service, the local company A Good Read and The Reader Organisation, they are funding the setting up of at least ten Get into Reading groups in order to help people find new ways to cope.

Leigh Walmsley, a specialist in promoting mental well-being for East Lancashire PCT, says "Reading is very creative thing to do. It helps you to understand another person's viewpoint or explore your own thoughts and feelings about something. In addition, reading really helps you to slow down and get lost in another world."

"Being healthy is about two things: it's about fixing things when they go wrong, but it's also about trying to make sure they don't go wrong in the first place. By using our natural creativity, we can provide exercise for the mind. Creativity also builds our self-esteem and so increases our resilience to stress and depression. We are really excited to be working with this local company and with The Reader Organisation who have the expertise to help people express themselves and tap into their emotions."

The project will work with a range of different client groups. To find out more about the Get Into Reading East Lancashire project or to book a taster session for your group, contact Janet Swan (call 07777 686648).

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