Shared Reading happens in all sorts of places like cafes and cathedrals, shops and theatres, community centres and libraries, hospitals and care homes. All groups are completely free to attend.
If you’re looking for a Shared Reading group at our home in Calderstones in South Liverpool, please visit our What’s Happening page.
Or if you’re looking for an online Shared Reading group, head over to our Reading Room site to book your place.
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350+
Regular weekly activities
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19,500+
Readers a year
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95%
Feel better
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81%
Helps connect with others
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East Midlands (8)
- Boston Library Shared Reading Group
- Leicestershire Shared Reading - Coalville Library
- Leicestershire Shared Reading - Glenfield Library
- Leicestershire Shared Reading - Hinckley Library
- Leicestershire Shared Reading - Wigston Library
- Leicestershire Shared Reading Ashby Library Monday 10.30
- Shared Reading Group - Blaby Library - Thursday - 11:30 AM
- Shared Reading Group - Market Harborough Library - Tuesday - 14:00 PM
- Eastern (3)
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London (44)
- Camden Town Library Shared Reading Group
- Childs Hill Library Shared Reading Group - Hybrid - Thursdays at 11 am.
- Church Street Library Shared Reading Group
- Colindale Shared Reading Group - RAF Museum Colindale
- Croydon Central Library Shared Reading Group
- Everybody Reads Book Shop - Shared Reading Group (starting 9th Janu)ary 2025
- Fulham Good Neighbours Shared Reading Group
- Hanwell Community Library Shared Reading Group
- Hornsey Housing Trust - Palm Tree Court
- Hornsey Housing Trust Shared Reading - Abyssinian Court
- John Lewis Brent Cross Shared Reading Group
- John Lewis Westfield Shared Reading Group
- Marcus Garvey Library Shared Reading Group Wednesday 2.30 pm
- Mill Hill Hybrid (Library & Online) Shared Reading Group - Thursdays at 2pm
- New Horizons Shared Reading Group PLEASE BOOK AHEAD
- New Malden Library Shared Reading Thursday 11.30am
- Northfields Community Library - Wednesday - 14:00
- Reading Retreat at Alfriston Day Centre - Tuesday - 10.30 am
- Reading Retreat Shared Reading at Tolworth Library: Wednesday at 2.30pm
- Reading Retreat Shared Reading Group at the Morden Library CLICK LINK FOR NEXT DATES: https://merton.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=104126
- Salvation Army Hendon Shared Reading Group
- Shared Reading at 'Library Hub' West Wickham & Shirley Baptist Church
- Shared Reading at Catford Library, Mondays 2 pm
- Shared Reading at Coombes Croft Library
- Shared Reading at Coulsdon Library
- Shared Reading at Hornsey Library - check with Library for availability
- Shared Reading at Kilburn Library
- Shared Reading at New Addington Library
- Shared Reading at Noel Park Big Local
- Shared Reading at Paddington Library
- Shared Reading at the Alcheme Wellbeing Cafe
- Shared Reading at the Old White Lion - 10.30 am (East Finchley) NEW MEMBERS please email support@thereader.org.uk to check availability
- Shared Reading at Wimbledon Guild - fortnightly Wednesday 2 pm
- Shared Reading Group-Kingston Library-Monday-11:00
- Shared Reading Group-St Peter's Church Notting Hill-Tuesday-12:30
- Shared Reading Group-Twickenham Library-Wednesday-14:00
- Shared Reading Group-Wimbledon Library-Tuesday-10:30
- Shepherds Bush Library Shared Reading Group
- South Lambeth Library Shared Reading Group
- Stephens House and Gardens
- Surbiton Library Shared Reading Group
- Sutton Library Shared Reading Monday 10.30am
- Upper Norwood Library Hub - Thursday - 10:30 -
- West Norwood Library - Read and Relax
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North West (73)
- Allerton Library Shared Reading Group Tuesday 10.30am
- Birch Community Centre Shared Reading Group
- Birkdale Library Shared Reading Tuesdays at 1.30pm
- Birkenhead Central Library - Monday 2:15pm
- Bootle Library Shared Reading Group
- Brighter Living Partnership Shared Reading sessions (fortnightly, Wednesdays 1:30pm - 3pm)
- Callister Gardens Oxton Shared Reading Group every Tuesday at 10am
- Crosby Library Shared Reading Group
- Formby Shared Reading, All Welcome - Monthly on Wednesdays (16th July 24th September 22nd October 19th November 17th December)
- Garston Bridge Chapel Shared Reading Group
- Halewood Library Shared Reading group every Tuesday 10.30am. Group
- John Lewis - Liverpool One, Weekly, Wednesdays 6pm - 7:30pm (The Jan Mølby Room, 2nd Floor) last session 23 July and returning on 10 Sept 2025
- Kindfulness Cafe Shared Reading Group Tues 11am
- Lache Library Shared Reading Group
- Life Rooms Southport Shared Reading Group
- Lifetime Gateway Shared Reading Group
- Lister Steps Shared Reading Group every Wednesday at 2pm
- Liverpool Central Library Shared Reading for people living with dementia (Wednesdays, 1pm - 2:30pm)
- Maghull Library Shared Reading sessions (fortnightly, Thursdays, 11am-12pm)
- Manchester Museum Shared Reading Group 24 June, 8, 22 July, 5, 19 Aug. Reserve a free place via Museum website if possible.
- Moreton Library Shared Reading Sessions, Fortnightly- Thursdays/ 10:00am- 11:30am
- Other Worlds
- Poetry Walk
- Pride on the Page LGBTQIA+ Shared Reading sessions at The Everyman Theatre (Thursdays 6-7pm)
- Saughall Massie Parish Centre Shared Reading Tues 10:30
- Shakespeare North Shared Reading Group Friday 3:30pm - To book your space please visit https://shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/event/shared-reading-sessions/
- Shakespeare North Shared Reading Group Thursday 11.15am - To book your space please visit https://shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/event/shared-reading-sessions/
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- Shared Reading - Altrincham Library - 2nd, 3rd, 4th Tuesday of the month
- Shared Reading - The Mansion House, Green Room.
- Shared Reading at Bookstop. Fortnightly, 7, 21 Nov, 5, 19 Dec.
- Shared Reading at Huyton Library
- Shared Reading at Lee Valley Millennium Centre, Belle Vale Tuesdays at 10:30am to 12:00pm
- Shared Reading at Marsh Green Library
- Shared Reading at Nantwich Alms Houses
- Shared Reading at Nantwich Museum
- Shared Reading at Storyhouse (Mondays)
- Shared Reading at West Kirby Methodist Church
- Shared Reading Group - Bebington Library (Every Monday- 10:30- 12)
- Shared Reading Group - Liverpool Central Library
- Shared Reading Group - The Florrie - Friday - 1.30pm
- Shared Reading Group - The Joseph Lappin Centre
- Shared Reading Group (English as an Additional Language) Toxteth Library Monday 11am
- Shared Reading sessions for under 30s, every Wednesday 4pm- 5:30pm, Green Room, The Mansion House, Calderstones Park, L18 3JB
- Shared Reading: Exploring LGBTQIA+ Literature
- Shared Reading: For new parents
- Shared Reading: Inside the Cabinet of Curiosities
- Shared Reading: Mystery Stories
- St Anne's Catholic Church Shared Reading Group - Wednesdays at 10.30 am
- St Barnabas Shared Reading Group (Shared Reading takes place in St Barnabas' Vicarage)
- St Mary's Church Upton - Thursday Shared Reading Group
- St Mary's Church Upton - Wednesday Shared Reading
- Storyhouse Shared Reading Group
- Swan Women's Centre Shared Reading Session (Women Only) (Every Wednesday, 18:15pm- 19:45pm)
- Swan Women's Centre Shared Reading Sessions (Women Only) Every Wednesday, 11:00am- 12:30pm)
- The Atkinson/ Southport Library Shared Reading Group
- The Dell Shared Reading Group All Welcome Tuesdays Fortnightly at 2pm
- The Life Rooms Walton Shared Reading (Tuesdays, 2pm - 4pm)
- Wallasey Library Group Wednesday 11am SUMMER BREAK RESTARTING 3 SEPTEMBER
- Wallasey Village Library and Community Centre Shared Reading sessions (Tuesdays, 1:30pm- 3pm)
- Waterstones Liverpool Shared Reading Group
- West Kirby Library Shared Reading Thursday 3.30pm PLEASE CONTACT SUPPORT@THEREADER.ORG.UK FOR AVAILABILITY
- Widnes Library Shared Reading Group
- Wigan Library Shared Reading Group
- Northern Ireland (3)
- Scotland (1)
- South East (4)
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South West (24)
- Bideford Library Shared Reading Group
- Bishopston Library Shared Reading Group SUMMER BREAK RESTARTING AUGUST
- Cadbury Heath Shared Reading Group
- Henleaze Library Shared Reading for people living with dementia
- Henleaze Library Shared Reading Group
- Ivybridge Library Shared Reading for people living with dementia
- Littlemoor Library Shared Reading Tuesday 11-12.30
- Lyme Regis Library
- Minehead Library
- Patchway Library Shared Reading Group
- Portland Library Shared Reading
- Redland Library Shared Reading Group
- Royal Wootton Bassett Shared Reading Group - Thursdays at 11 am
- Shared Reading at Knowle Library. Fortnightly.
- Shared Reading at Monica Wills House. On foot: enter via Airpoint, up from Tesco Express, West Street.
- Shared Reading Group - Boscombe Library - Monday - 11:00 AM
- Shared Reading Group Yeovil Library Monday 11.30
- Shared Reading in Barton Hill. Little Library. Monthly. 2nd Tues.
- Shepton Mallet Library Group Friday 11am
- St Annes House Shared Reading Group
- St Pauls Library Bristol Shared Reading Group
- Staple Hill Library Shared Reading
- Wells Library Feel Better with a Book Shared Reading Group
- Wincanton Fortnightly Feel Better with a Book
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Wales (12)
- Abergavenny Library Shared Reading Group - Fortnightly
- Barry Library Shared Reading Group
- Chepstow Community Library and Hub Shared Reading
- Colwyn Bay Library Shared Reading (fortnightly)
- Llandudno Library Shared Reading Group
- Llanrwst Library Shared Reading Group (fortnightly)
- Prestatyn Shared Reading Group
- Shared Reading at Abergele Library (fortnightly)
- Shared Reading at Conwy Library (fortnightly)
- Shared Reading at Sandfields Library
- Shared Reading Group - Barry Library - Friday - 13:00 PM
- Wrexham Library Shared Reading Group
- West Midlands (6)
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Yorkshire and the Humber (10)
- Broomhill Library Shared Reading Group
- Danum Gallery, Library & Museum Shared Reading Group - Tuesday 11.00
- Edlington Library Shared Reading Group
- Mexborough Library Shared Reading Group
- Rawmarsh Library Shared Reading Group
- Riverside House Shared Reading Group
- Shared Reading at Grimm and Co. (Term time only)
- Sprotbrough Library Shared Reading Group.
- Swinton Library Shared Reading Group
- VIP Shared Reading Group (Last Wed of Month - 10.30 am - 12 noon) dglamenquiries@doncaster.gov.uk
What is Shared Reading?
Shared Reading is a unique experience that helps thousands of people to connect, feel good and live well.
Reading together means that everyone is involved in a shared experience. Group members are encouraged by a trained Reader Leader to respond personally, sharing feelings, thoughts and memories provoked by the reading. There is no pressure to talk or read aloud.
No other organisation makes use of literature in this way. Shared Reading helps us to understand our individual and collective inner lives, round the same table, at the same time.
What happens at a Shared Reading group?
A group of people, one of them a trained Reader Leader, reads a great novel, short story or poem aloud. You do not need to read anything in advance or prepare.
We stop and talk about what we have read. There is no need for group members to read aloud or speak – it’s fine to just listen. The idea is to create a space where people feel at ease.
Everyone experiences the text in their own way, but the literature provides a shared language that can help us to understand ourselves – and others – better.
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.
