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What is Leicestershire Shared Reading?

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Leicestershire Shared Reading is a voluntary organisation, set up in September 2016, to work in partnership with Leicestershire County Council's library service to support a thriving network of ‘Make Friends, with a Book’ shared reading groups.

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The groups, led by volunteer Reader Leaders, meet weekly either via Zoom or in person at public libraries around the county and are open to anyone to drop in and sit for a while, listening to stories and poems being read aloud.

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As a voluntary organisation we are able to apply for financial support from bodies such as the National Lottery. Our main expense is the training and support of our volunteers, who all attend an intensive ‘Read to Lead’ course, ensuring that our group members have the best possible experience.

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This training, and ongoing support for our whole team, is supplied by The Reader, the charity that pioneered the idea of shared reading for wellbeing (click the button below for more information).

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As well as the cost of training, our supporters, including Blaby District Council and Leicestershire County Council, also cover some of our running costs, such as publicity materials and books.