Get into reading – now we are ten
The Reader's Get Into Reading project celebrated its tenth birthday on Thursday 27 September at Wallasey Town Hall.
With its mission to ‘bring about a reading revolution’, the charity’s weekly read aloud groups have taken Shakespeare to supermarkets, poetry to prisons and Hardy to hospitals.
The first two Get Into Reading groups were set up in 2002, for young mothers and adult learners in Birkenhead, by the charity’s founder and director, Jane Davis.
Jane Davis says:
‘I wanted to get books into the hands of people like myself who needed them, so I set up Get Into Reading to bring books and people together.
People began to tell me: “This isn’t just reading, this is good for my health, you should be getting paid by the NHS”.’
Ten years later and The Reader delivers more than one hundred groups across Wirral, working with a diverse range of partners, including Wirral Libraries, Wirral PCT, Forum Housing, Wirral Drug and Alcohol Action Team, Egremont Primary and Woodchurch High schools. Each week the charity are reading with hundreds of people, aged 3 to 103, to improve confidence, wellbeing, social engagement and to extend a love of literature.
Cllr Chris Meaden, Wirral’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and leisure, said:
“Wirral Council’s partnership work with the Reader Organisation has left a legacy of supportive and fun reading groups and targeted projects for residents of all ages to enjoy.
‘We have been pleased to welcome them into our libraries to inspire a love of reading in the community and look forward to continuing our successful partnership.”
Impacts of the groups include increased personal confidence and reduced social isolation, improved emotional and psychological wellbeing, greater stability and support, and a growing love of books.
A group member from Birkenhead, Wirral said:
‘I LOVE the reading group - it’s done so much for me, it really has. It’s been my salvation.’
Share
Related Articles

A breath of fresh air! This summer’s outdoor and cultural events at our Calderstones Park home
The Reader serves up a giant scoop of summer arts and entertainment from three special summer garden parties with special…

Three new outdoor events at Calderstones Park with Mersey Forest will mark 80th anniversary of VE Day
This spring The Reader is collaborating with Mersey Forest to launch new nature inspired Poetry Walks, school heritage trips and…

The Reader’s gardening group calls for more volunteers
The Reader would like to thank the incredible hard work, dedication and energy of its volunteer gardening group for transforming…