COVID19: As restrictions start to lift, we hope to be able to resume Shared Reading in person again. As groups reopen, you’ll be able to see them appear on the map below.
Even when our groups start to resume in person, we’ll continue to offer Shared Reading on a 1:1 basis by phone and online.
Please call 0151 729 2250 or email support@thereader.org.uk to arrange for a weekly call with one of our volunteers for yourself or someone who might benefit, or follow this link to find an online Shared Reading group.
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700
Groups around the UK.
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10,000+
Readers a year.
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93%
Feel better.
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84%
Make new friends.
Search for a reading group
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Liverpool (31)
- A Story Feast
- All About the Bard
- Big Little Book Break, Liverpool
- Building Bridges, Wirral
- Calderstones, Liverpool
- Croissant of Inequality, Liverpool
- Garston Bridge Chapel
- Granby Adult Learning Services
- Involve Northwest
- John Lewis Liverpool
- LGBT Shared Reading at the Everyman, Liverpool
- Linksview Woolton Towers
- Liverpool Central Library
- MyClubmoor, Liverpool
- Norris Green Library
- Poetry World Trip, Liverpool
- Salvation Army
- Saturday Science Fiction
- Science Fiction, Liverpool
- Screamy Reads, Liverpool
- St Anne's Church, Liverpool
- St Barnabas Church
- St Nicks Group, Liverpool
- Stories to Unwind, Liverpool
- Tea and Tales, Liverpool
- The Florrie, Liverpool
- Ullet Road Unitarian Church, Liverpool
- Waterstones, Liverpool One
- West Derby Library
- WHISC Group, Liverpool
- WriteBlend, Liverpool
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London (49)
- Age Exchange Blackheath Reading Group
- Age UK Activity Centre, Hammersmith
- Asian Resource Centre Of Croydon
- ASKI, Croydon
- Avonmore Library
- Book Break South Lambeth Library Reading Group
- Brompton Library Book Break
- Burnt Oak Library, Edgware
- Charecroft Estate Community Hall
- Childs Hill Library
- Chipping Barnet Library Group
- CHOICE Friendship Club, London
- Church End Library, London
- Clapham Library Reading Group
- Clapton Library
- Clement James Book Break, London
- Colindale Library
- Croydon Central Library Reading Group
- Dalgarno Trust, London
- Fulham Good Neighbours
- Fulham Library
- Golders Green Library
- Hammersmith Library
- Hardy House, London
- Headroom Cafe JAMI, London
- John Lewis Brent Cross
- John Lewis Westfields
- Kensington Central Library Book Break
- Latymer Centre Book Break, London
- Masbro Read & Relax, London
- North Kensington Library Book Break
- Old White Lion, East Finchley
- OneStonegrove, Edgware
- Parchmore Croydon Book Break
- Queen's Park Library, London
- Read & Relax at West Norwood Library
- Roehampton University, London
- Shepherd's Bush Read & Relax
- Shirley Neighbourhood Care Croydon
- Southwark Playhouse Reading Group
- St Charles Wellbeing Book Break, London
- St Cuthbert's Centre, London
- St John's Wood Library
- Stephens House and Gardens, London
- STOLL
- Sutton Library
- Upper Norwood Library Hub Croydon Book Break
- WestWay Book Break Brompton Library
- Wimbledon Synagogue
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Midlands (13)
- Boston Library
- Boston Stump
- Coalville Leicestershire Libraries Reading Group
- Glenfield Leicestershire Libraries Reading Group
- Hinckley Leicestershire Libraries Reading Group
- Jolt Shared Reading group, Oswestry
- Loughborough Leichestershire Libraries Reading Group
- Market Harborough Library Leicestershire Libraries Reading Group
- Melton Mowbray Leicestershire Libraries Reading Group
- Oadby Leicestershire Libraries Reading Group
- QUBE Shared Reading Group, Oswestry
- St John's Centre Book Break
- Wigston Leicestershire Libraries Reading Group
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North West (26)
- Belong Platt Bridge Reading Group
- Billinge Library
- Bootle Library
- Bridge-it Kirkby
- Crewe Library Reading Group
- Crosby Library
- Culcheth Library
- Huyton Library
- Kindfulness Cafe, Bootle
- Lache Library, Chester
- Maghull Library
- Manchester Central Library
- May Logan Centre, Bootle
- Momo's Coffee Shop
- Moss Bank Library
- Oak Meadow Support Centre
- Prescot Library
- Rumah Birkdale
- Sefton Carers Centre
- SING Plus Reading Group, Liverpool
- Storyhouse, Chester
- The Wishing Well Crewe
- Watch Factory Prescot Reading Group
- West Kirby Methodist Church
- Widnes Library
- Withington Community Library
- Northern Ireland (3)
- Scotland (3)
- South East (2)
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South West (29)
- Bishopston Library Shared Reading Group
- Boscombe Library Reading Group
- Bridgwater Feel Better with a Book Shared Reading Group
- Bristol Central Library Shared Reading Group
- Cadbury Heath Shared Reading Group, Bristol
- Calne Library Reading Group
- Cheddar Library Feel Better with a Book Shared Reading Group
- Cotham Parish Church Reading Group
- Emerson Green Shared Reading Group
- Filwood Shared Reading Library Group
- Fishponds Library Shared Reading Group
- Glastonbury Library Feel Better with a Book Shared Reading Group
- Kinson Library Shared Reading Group
- Lyme Regis Shared Reading Group
- Patchway Library
- Portland Tophill Library Shared Reading Group
- Redland Library Shared Reading Group
- Sea Mills Library Shared Reading Group
- Southmead Library Shared Reading Group
- St Pauls Library Shared Reading Group, Bristol
- Staple Hill Library
- Taunton Library Feel Better with a Book Shared Reading Group
- Wells Library Feel Better with a Book Shared Reading Group
- West Howe Library
- West Howe Reading Group
- Westbury Library Shared Reading Group
- Whitchurch Shared Reading group
- Whitchurch United Reformed Church
- Zion Shared Reading
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Wales (17)
- Abbey Road Centre Reading Group, Bangor
- Abergavenny Library
- Bangor Library Reading Group
- Barry Literature at Lunchtime
- Books Aloud! Torfaen
- Bridges Community Centre Shared Reading Group, Monmouth
- Cartrefi Conwy Parkway Reading Group
- Chepstow Library
- Monmouth Start the Week with a Story
- North Wales Women's Group, Rhyl
- Pontypool Library
- Prestatyn Library
- The Story Crew/Y Criw Stori - Botwnnog
- Torfaen Mind's Wellbeing Centre
- Trevethin and Penygarn Women's Mental Health Group
- Usk Hub Shared Reading group
- Wrexham Library Reading Group
- Wirral (14)
- Yorkshire (8)
What is Shared Reading?
Shared Reading brings people together in small groups to read aloud a book, short story or poem.
Group members can choose to read, share personal reflections, or simply listen – it’s a welcoming space for individuals to form real connections with the literature, each other and themselves.
What happens at a Shared Reading group?
A trained Reader Leader will select, sometimes with the help of their group, texts to read each week. Texts are chosen because they deal with some of the complexities of human experience. Reader Leaders will make sure individuals’ thoughts and feelings are recognised and valued.
Who is Shared Reading for?
Shared Reading is for everyone. Many people who come will be experiencing a transition – bereavement, retirement, a change in health, or within their social life. Shared Reading groups provide a warm environment that people want to keep coming back to.
