Home - The Reader

Join the Reading Revolution

We’re a national charity that wants to bring about a Reading Revolution so that everyone can experience and enjoy great literature, which we believe is a tool for helping humans survive and live well.

From our global Shared Reading movement, to our Calderstones Park home – The Reader builds lively communities that bring people together and books to life.

Find a group near you

94%
Felt better after a session
526
Groups around the UK
10,000+
Readers a year
84%
Made new friends

Become a volunteer

Love reading? Love meeting new people? Want to make a difference locally? If so, Shared Reading could be the thing for you. And you could be just the person for us.

1
Tell us you'd like to get involved and apply online.
2
Join The Reader's transformative training programme.
3
Make a difference – and have a great time too.

Find out more

The Reader at Calderstones

The Reader at Calderstones is a community unlike any other, somewhere people can get together, experience literature and try something new.

Drop in at the Mansion House to get a bite to eat at The Reader Café, join a Shared Reading group or explore 5,000 years of storytelling in our dedicated exhibition.

Explore the park, where you’ll find the Storybarn play space and The Reader Ice Cream Parlour.

The Mansion House

The Mansion House is a reading home with heart – drop in to discover a place filled with possibilities.

The Calderstones Story

Discover stories of life in Liverpool, starting 5,000 years ago, in our dedicated exhibition.

The Storybarn

Our imaginative play space for children and families will spark a lifelong love of reading for pleasure.

Visit calderstones

What's on

Shared Reading

Science Fiction, Saturday

Every Saturday, 10am - 11.30am Free

Join us weekly as we delve into stories and extracts, past and present found at the very limits of the...

Arts and Crafts

Leaving Your Mark: Shared Mark Making & Storytelling

Sunday 22 March, 11am - 5pm. £50.00

Awaken your creative voice through expressive abstract mark marking and storytelling through art. About this Event Join artist and academic...

Yoga

Women's Retreat on Mother's Day

Sunday 22 March, 9am - 1pm £30.00

Join Surya Yoga Liverpool - mother and daughter team Claire and Isobel - for a peaceful and indulgent half day...

See all events

The Storybarn

The Storybarn exists to spark a life-long love of books and reading, and an unending curiosity for exploring the astonishing worlds of our imagination.

Whether you’re coming as family, party or school, this imaginative play space is dedicated to sharing the delights of reading with babies and children.

Come and play!