Lord Mayor calls on city to bring Calderstones Mansion House to life

Lord Mayor Cllr Gary Millar, Jane Davis, High Sheriff of Merseyside Ian Meadows and his partner Lizzie Scott at Calderstones

The Reader Organisation's project to transform Calderstones Mansion House into the International Centre for Reading and Wellbeing has been given a welcome boost by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Gary Millar, who has called on the people of Liverpool to volunteer their time, skills and support to help build the reading revolution.

He co-hosted a special 'Connect at Calderstones' lunch at the Mansion House bringing together professionals from the business, education and cultural sectors to pledge their support and make the regeneration project a city-wide collaboration.

The Lord Mayor said:

“I was one of the 1200 people who visited Calderstones in April, when The Reader Organisation opened the doors for the first time in 30 years, and I am thrilled to see this much-loved building being brought back to life by a local social enterprise.

Reading is vital to our chances in life and everyone deserves the opportunity to discover the power of great books for themselves. The Reader Organisation will make this happen and the people of Liverpool are key to helping them achieve this.”

Liverpool City council awarded us 'preferred bidder status' for the Calderstones Mansion House buildings by in January of this year and we're in the first stages of regenerating it into a community hub where people from across Liverpool and beyond can come together to enjoy reading and wellbeing activities in a beautiful setting.

Calderstones Mansion House (c.Dave Jones)

The funds for the project will be secured through social investors and national funding bodies, as well as The Reader Organisation's own social enterprise activities. Creating local jobs and volunteering opportunities through sustainable not-for-profit businesses are central to our plans to develop an internationally recognised centre based on reading.

Our vision for Calderstones is a place with volunteering at its heart, where everyone can read, work, play, make new friends and find new opportunities. The people of Liverpool and those further afield have so much to offer, from donating books and unwanted furniture, sharing their skills, or simply giving an hour of their time. With your help, we can create a Liverpool landmark which changes lives.

Activity is well underway at the Mansion House with weekly shared reading groups for children and adults alike, and we've welcomed hundreds of people through the door for events such as  our Open Days, Summer Fair and Shakespeare's Globe's production of King Lear.

If you'd like to find out more or get involved, whether by joining a shared reading group, attending one of our events, volunteering your time or offering support, visit  http://www.thereader.org.uk/connect-at-calderstones/connect-with-us, email calderstones@thereader.org.uk or come along to the weekly drop-in session at the Mansion House, 4-5pm on Wednesdays.

Meanwhile, here's a taste of the excitement from our summer fair in August: