Response to Government Winter Covid Plan ‘B’ 

As you may have seen in the news, the Government has now moved to Plan B of the Covid Winter Plan. At this stage, and in keeping with the guidelines, we will continue to operate our in person Shared Reading activity and all of our programming at the Mansion House.  

All of our events, including Storybarn activities, will still take place as planned and The Reader Cafe's winter opening times will remain the same until 24 December (see below for details of Christmas opening times).  If you're a Reader volunteer, see below for the most up to date information on your volunteering roles this December.

We do ask that visitors please continue to take extra care and be mindful of others when moving around on site by wearing a mask (unless exempt) as well regularly washing your hands. 

Our site opening times over the Christmas period are: 

24 December: The Reader Mansion House, Café and Ice Cream Parlour open until 12noon. (The Reader Shop & Stones closed)
25 - 26 December: Closed 
27 - 31 December: Ice Cream Parlour open 10am - 4pm (Mansion House and Café remain closed)

Up to 24 December and from 1 January onwards: 

The Reader Café: Mon-Sun. 8.30am-4pm (last orders for kitchen at 3pm)
The Ice Cream Parlour: Thurs-Sun. 10am-4pm
Welcome/Reception & Stones: Mon-Sun. 11am-4pm (reopens 3 Jan)
The Reader Shop: Mon-Sun. 11am-4pm (reopens 17 Jan)

Important information for volunteers

If you read with adults

If you would like to continue to run your group in person, and your group members still feel comfortable attending, please carry on reading together. However, if you or your group members feel uncomfortable meeting in person, please feel free to make arrangements to read together in an alternative way – many of you have been doing this during the pandemic on Zoom, using our own Reading Rooms platform, or by phone. If you are currently reading in this way please continue to do so.

If you want to move from reading as a group to calling group members individually, please get in touch as there are additional safeguarding measures we need to put in place for 1:1 reading. If you want to pause your volunteering for a while, that’s fine too.What we would ask is you please let us know of any changes you choose to make so we can support you, and update our records accordingly. Do this by emailing support@thereader.org.uk or calling 0151 729 2250. If you do continue reading, in whatever way suits, please be sure to record the details of your session on our Online Community Hub. You can get help with using the Hub by contacting the support team as above.

If you read with children and young people

If you would like to continue to run your 1:1 reading session and your child and their family are happy to continue, please do carry on reading together. However, if any of you feel uncomfortable meeting in person, please contact us so we can support you to make arrangements to read together online. Many of you have been reading in this way this during the pandemic, and can continue to do so. If you want to pause the reading for a while, that’s fine too. What we would ask is that you please let us know of any changes you choose to make so we can update our records accordingly. Please contact Hope for 1:1 reading hopemcgarry@thereader.org.uk If you are a partner reading as part of the First Page project we know there will be other considerations you need take account of, but contact Andie on firstpage@thereader.org.uk if you need support. If you continue reading, in whatever way suits, please be sure to record the details of your session on our Online Community Hub. You can get help on using the Hub by contacting Hope or Andie as above.

If you volunteer at Calderstones

If you are happy to continue to volunteer at the Mansion as you do now, you don’t need to do anything at all.  However, if you do want to pause for a while please contact the Volunteer Support Team at Calderstones on calderstonescoordinators@thereader.org.uk or talk to Jules, Debbie or Stephen on site. We’d like to reassure you that we will be taking additional precautions on site including the wearing of masks, handwashing and social distancing where appropriate.