Reconnecting with Reading Revolutionaries nationwide

This year we’ve been reconnecting with reading revolutionaries up and down the country. Find your nearest event and get in touch.

“I wonder, since we are both travelling out, if we may go together? Thank you.”

Lucille Adler, Travelling Out

We’ve trained thousands of people in the simple, yet impactful, practice of Shared Reading over the past decade – handing over the power to change local communities through the magic of reading aloud, together.

During the past months, as part of our 10th birthday celebrations, we’ve been reaching out to some of those we’ve lost touch with, to share our upcoming plans, roll out our latest tools and find out how to get our communities better connected.

This revolutionary reading roadshow has so far taken us from Liverpool to London, Wales to Birmingham, Manchester to Leeds, so we can meet in real life some of the folks who’ve been quietly working away on their mission.

More than half of those we’ve met so far are still running groups in their local communities – some juggling two, three or even four in any given week. The Reader's Learning and Quality Leader Tom, who has run several of the reconnection events, said: "It has been so inspiring and energising to hear about groups that have been quietly buzzing away (sometimes for many years), to read together and share experiences, and to talk about where next to take Shared Reading."

We had a huge amount of feedback from attendees on what areas of Shared Reading practice, practicalities and promotion The Reader can help with, not least through the constantly updated Member Support Hub and the Member Newsletter, which has suggested books, plays and poems, templates for group posters, and much more.

“I was already passionate about this but this has increased (if that is possible!).”

“It was useful to speak to other Reader Leaders about my concerns around setting up a new group - how to find a suitable venue and recruit members to join.” 

“It was the shared reading of the poem that was most useful – because it's so long since I've had that experience, not being the 'facilitator’. As well as the video about going back to the text - because it was a very clear reminder about why we should do this.”

“For me, it was the open and honest discussion about the challenges of running a group, such as how to introduce new members to a long-established ‘closed’ group.”

“The most useful bit for me was hearing the reflection of others about the aims and benefits of Shared Reading.”

 Upcoming Events:

We still have 10 more events coming up for people who have trained with The Reader and want to get back in the room with us. If you see one you’d like to come to, or you think you should have access to the Member Support Hub, email membership@thereader.org.uk.

With thanks to players of the National Lottery through Big Lottery Fund for their support in helping us reignite the Reading Revolution.