Pat: ‘You don’t need to be an academic – it’s about going on your gut feeling about a story or poem’

National charity The Reader runs two popular weekly 90-minute Shared Reading group at one of the UK’s most innovative libraries, Storyhouse, Chester. 

Storyhouse is Chester’s cultural hub, a theatre, cinema and café/bar but it is also the main city library, with books spread throughout its spaces. This converted art-deco cinema opened in June 2018 and featured in RIBA’s list of the best buildings that year. It is open seven days/week until 11pm - the longest opening hours of any library in the UK. 

Pictured: One of the Shared Reading groups running at Storyhouse

A Monday group launched in 2024 co-led by retired Public Health Manager, Val Armstrong, and Sue Coyne, previously an English teacher, is celebrating its first year. Pat Russell, a retired secondary school head teacher from Burton, Cheshire, joined just after the group was established and describes why she loves being a part of it. Sjhe said: 

 “I first heard about this Shared Reading group through the co-leader Sue Coyne, who is my neighbour. We had previously set up a book group together for all the women in our close a year earlier. 

I have now been retired for 10 years, and I like the fact that you come along to this Shared Reading group and don’t have to do any preparation. It’s all self-contained in one session.  

I find when I am reading a book, I easily lose the thread but here it’s nice to have short stories to discuss. The book group Sue and I run is structured, whereas this has a spontaneity to it and it makes me think on the spot.  

I find this Shared Reading group stimulating.

It’s good for my mind, friendly, non-threatening and I really look forward to it.

I’ve enjoyed and learnt from everything we’ve read. It challenges you. 

You don’t need to be an academic - it’s about going on your gut feeling about a story or poem. I enjoy that Shared Reading is nothing to do with English or grammar. 

I enjoyed reading a short story called The Demon Lover by Elizabeth Bowen and a poem, Ghosts by Elizabeth Jennings. It was interesting as they were both thematically linked. The poem made us realise that what really haunts people is the things they regret.  

Quite poignantly this made me remember how, when we first got married, my husband and I didn’t have a washing machine, so we borrowed some money from my mum to buy one, and I promised her I would pay her back. Sadly, she died before I ever did repay her, which I always regret. 

This group is very inclusive and it’s fun – we have a laugh and talk about our thoughts and feelings.

Other than having a copy of the text, you don’t have to participate in reading or discussions. I love it! I would really miss it if it wasn’t on.

It’s also given me a passion for short stories.” 

Sue Coyne, the group’s co-leader at Storyhouse, said: “We established a second Shared Reading group here a year ago and it has grown to regularly include 10 or so, and we enjoy leading it, welcoming a range of different people. Many are recently retired, and all are actively engaged and appreciative of how the texts affect them.”

Linda Tyson, Library Team Leader at Storyhouse, said: “The award-winning library at Storyhouse has the longest opening hours of any library in the UK and books line the walls of the building which incorporates a library, theatre, studio theatre, restaurant and cinema.  

“The Reader’s Shared Reading groups fit so well with Storyhouse and our welcoming, inclusive and relaxed atmosphere where communities come together to talk, relax, learn and make friends. I know from experience the power of Shared Reading and how impactful it can be.” 

Val and Sue’s weekly Shared Reading group meets in the Meeting Room at Storyhouse on Mondays, 11am-12.30pm. For more information visit here. A long-established Friday group runs 2pm-3.30pm. For more information visit here. 

The Reader is the UK’s biggest Shared Reading charity and runs more than 490 Shared Reading groups across the UK, 112 of these are in libraries.  

For further information about The Reader’s work in libraries and the community visit here.