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Reading Friends

Reading Friends is our exciting new UK-wide programme, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, which connects people by starting conversations through reading. Delivered by volunteers and co-produced with older people, Reading Friends meet regularly to chat and share stories in groups or one-to-one sessions. It aims to empower, engage and connect older people who are vulnerable and isolated, people with dementia and carers.

The programme has been running since June 2017 and has seen The Reading Agency work in partnership with a range of organisations and communities to test different approaches to delivery. Reading Friends will enter its pilot phase in September 2018, which will see it expand to new areas across the UK.

Pilot projects will continue to deliver a range of shared reading models to connect older people in settings including libraries, care homes and sheltered housing. It will build on the experiences of the test phase to develop intergenerational opportunities, working with schools and colleges, as well as looking at ways to reach diverse and isolated communities.

The Reading Agency, Scottish Book Trust, Literature Wales and Verbal Northern Ireland run Reading Friends in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Where is Reading Friends being piloted?

Wales

Conwy
Swansea

Northern Ireland

Derry

Scotland

Stirling
Edinburgh

England

Newcastle
Oldham and Greater Manchester
Sheffield and Doncaster
Stirling
West Sussex

Read Strategic Director, Katie Pekacar's blog on how we developed Reading Friends

Find out more about the test sites in England

Find out more about the test site in Wales

Why Reading Friends matters

• Loneliness and social isolation is a significant health and wellbeing issue for older people. 8-10% of people aged 65 and older are often or always lonely, while 12% feel socially isolated¹
• Research shows that reading together can help older people to build social networks and connect with others. Evidence also shows that reading has a positive impact on empathy, cognitive function and wellbeing and can reduce the risk of dementia²
• Age UK's research shows that maintaining meaningful engagement with the world around you is key to wellbeing. Taking part in activities that support wellbeing is most difficult for people who are lonely and isolated or in poor health³
• It also finds that creative and cultural participation makes the highest contribution to an older person's wellbeing⁴

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References

^{1. Oxfordshire Age UK (2012) Loneliness - the state we're in p.13↩}
^{2. BOP Consulting for The Reading Agency (2015) Literature Review: the impact of reading for pleasure and empowerment]↩}
^{3. Hughes et al (2010) Engagement in reading and hobbies and risk of incident dementia: The MoVIES project OECD ↩}
^{4. Age UK, Green et al (2017) Age UK's Index of Wellbeing in Later Life↩}
^{5. Ibid↩}

Adults

One in six adults struggles to read. Reading Ahead supports young people and adults who struggle with the written word or who don’t read for pleasure. Reading Groups for Everyone celebrates all the good things that happen when people come together to share reading and Reading Well supports people's health and wellbeing. Because everything changes when we read.