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-
93%
Felt better after a session
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700
Groups around the UK
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10,000+
Readers a year
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84%
Made new friends
What's Happening
National Poetry Day: Choose Your Own Poetry Path
Thursday 7 October, 7pm - in person and online Pay what you feelCelebrating National Poetry Day - the annual mass celebration that encourages all to enjoy, discover and share poetry – come...
Chatty Cafe
Every Thursday, 10am - 11.30am FreeYou are warmly invited to come and sit at our Chatty Café table for a chat with a stranger. On...
Shared Reading – Tuesdays
Every Tuesday, 10.30am - 11.30am FreeCome and experience Shared Reading at the Mansion House which is home to the International Centre for Shared Reading. Relax...
Books and Brambles
6 Week Outdoor Adventure, starting on 6 November £49.001 child £49, 2 siblings £80, 3 siblings £120 Books and Brambles is a six-week outdoor adventure of exciting weekends...
Pride on the Page
Every Wednesday, 5.30pm Free‘A book is a door. You open it. You step through.’ Jeanette Winterson, Why Be Happy When You Could Be...
Shared Reading – Thursdays
Every Thursday, 10am - 11am FreeCome and experience Shared Reading at the Mansion House which is home to the International Centre for Shared Reading. Relax...
Cyanotype
Saturday 23 October, 11am - 4pm £50.00This course introduces participants to the use of a traditional Victorian photographic technique as a way of creating unique images....
Poetry Walk
Thursdays, 11am - 12noon Pay what you feelFree, book a ticket online. Join us for a restorative walk around the park, accompanied by some nourishing poems. No...
Trails and Tales
All day, every day FreeThe Trails & Tales experience is a way for visitors of all ages to connect with their surroundings as they...
Shared Reading – Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, 11am - 12noon FreeCome and experience Shared Reading at the Mansion House which is home to the International Centre for Shared Reading. Relax...
Introduction to Chinese Painting
Sunday 28 November, 11am - 5pm £50.00Explore the history of Chinese Painting techniques with artist Madeleine Pires. This Chinese brush painting session is a mixed ability...
Incy Wincy Rhymers
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday - various times £4.00Our sessions for little ones - 1 - 4 year olds - and their families. We'll explore classic stories, family...
Tiny Acorns
6 week Indoor Sessions starting from Friday 24 September £49.00£49 for 6 weeks - booking includes a copy of our featured baby board book to keep and share again and...
Welly Walks
Saturdays throughout the year, various times £4.00Combining the whimsy of our Storybarn with the exciting heritage of Calderstones Park, we invite you to join us for Storybarn Welly Walks Each...
Spoken Word – October
Thursday 21 October, 8pm £10.00Our Spoken Word event for October will feature Saint Vespaluus, Nana Funk, Curtis Watt, Helen Jeffrey and Rachel Doman. Spoken...
Robin Ince – The Importance of Being Interested
Thursday 21 October, 4pm Pay what you feelPopular comedian and presenter, Robin Ince comes to us to talk about his new book, The Importance of Being Interested....
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.
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.
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!
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8,937
Storyhunter and Incy Wincy Rhymer attendees
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95
Birthday parties
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111
School visits
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23
Family fun days
Something More
Rebuilding the Reading Revolution: Shared Reading Groups Open to All
In-person Shared Reading is returning around the UK as volunteers and group members begin meeting again in local libraries and other community venues. So far…
From The Reader Bookshelf… Shakespeare’s Sonnets
As part of our ongoing work around The Reader Bookshelf, we've asked staff to share their thoughts about some of the…
New poetry anthology to celebrate National Poetry Day
As National Poetry Day approaches on Thursday 7th October, we’ve been busy working on a new poetry anthology and planning…
