Shared Reading in Conwy Libraries

Shared Reading in Conwy Libraries

Credit: The Reader

Library assistant Steve Stratford is one of nine staff at Conwy Libraries in North Wales who have been trained to run Shared Reading groups by national charity The Reader. He describes how it has made a huge difference in boosting the confidence of group members – and his own.

‘Libraries have moved on considerably – they are no longer places where you’re expected to be quiet’

Ex-journalist Steve Stratford has been a Library Assistant at Conwy Library for eight years.  Two years ago he was one of nine colleagues at Conwy Libraries trained as ‘Reader Leaders’ with the UK’s largest Shared Reading charity The Reader as part of their work.

Weekly and fortnightly groups are now held across the county at Area Libraries in Abergele, Conwy, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno and Llanrwst.  Groups are free and open to everyone offering a welcoming, inclusive and non-judgmental space where local people can connect and share experiences using stories and poems. There is no pressure to talk or read aloud.  

The Reader runs more than 490 Shared Reading groups across the UK.

Steve’s group is based in the historic harbourside town of Conwy, famous for its medieval fortress, Conwy Castle. 

Conwy Library is located inside the buzzy new Conwy Culture Centre, next to the historic medieval town walls.  This multi-purpose building opened in 2019 and the space is shared with the County Archive and Museum Service and Cantîn café, as well as a popular community space - home to classes ranging from Buddhist meditation to the ancient Chinese martial art of Tai Chi and author talks, including bestselling North Wales-based crime writer Simon McCleave. There is even a communal sensory garden where local people can come and grow plants and herbs. 

Steve’s Shared Reading group runs every fortnight on a Friday between 2pm and 3.30pm. 

Steve said: “Many of the participants are of retirement age and they get on like a house on fire. It’s a lovely group; they are friends through Shared Reading. There is a lot of joking and laughter.  We’ve had a couple of men come to the group, including a gentleman who was blind. He had moved from Manchester and had heard of Shared Reading. He enjoyed listening to the stories.  I love doing it – it’s so fantastic connecting with people through books. We read a bit of text and then stop and start, share our feelings and have a cup of tea. You get to know people – that's the joy of literature.”

The former reporter and editor, who previously worked on the region’s regional newspaper, said he has always loved words and books. As both a library assistant and group leader it was rewarding for him to see people grow in confidence through Shared Reading.

He said: “I think Shared Reading is a fantastic idea. Sometimes people lack confidence to approach larger books because they don’t think they can but approaching a novel as a group where there is no pressure to talk or read aloud can really help people come into themselves and develop their confidence. I have seen that happen over the two years I've been running this group. It has also really helped my own confidence grow as initially I was not used to talking in front of a group. The group is a bit of a social and the whole group has grown in confidence. Sometimes people don’t like the sound of their own voice.  One lady, in particular, has blossomed in confidence over the last year. She never used to say much but at one of our sessions when I asked if anyone else would like to read an extract of the story she said ‘yes’ which was a big step forward.  Another time a text prompted a breakthrough for one of our regular group members. She was reflecting on her own relationship with her dad. When she was younger, she said she used to think he was controlling but the story had made her reassess her feelings. It was quite a personal memory which she felt confident to share with friends.”

Steve said the group like “a self-contained story with an ending” but he likes to challenge the group with bold texts and poetry.

He said: “We all really enjoyed reading a chapter of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein which was very different to how they’d imagined. It was beautifully written from ‘the creature’s’ point of view in a thoughtful and sensitive way and was not what you had in mind after all the Hollywood remakes. It had a big impact on the group who couldn’t believe it was written by an 18-year-old.  Poetry can be quite daunting for people in everyday life. I always make sure we read every week even if people don’t have a lot to say. A recent one, Alone by Siegfried Sassoon, really resonated with the group. It was about loneliness from the perspective of being a widow. On a personal level it also helped me as I had not long lost my dad, and it gave me an insight into what it was like for my mum.

“We meet in a community room off the main library but in other libraries – for instance at Llandudno - groups meet in the main library space. It’s a nice thing for people to see Shared Reading as part of the library experience. Libraries have moved on considerably – they are no longer places where you’re expected to be quiet. We have a very loud Storytime with up to 20 prams, plus arts and crafts for children – which is great to see. Our libraries are lively multi-generational spaces for everyone.”

Sharon Morgan, Interim Section Head for Culture, Information and Libraries, Conwy, said: “Shared Reading is a well-established part of Conwy Library Service’s reading offer. The shared understanding and trust developed by reading and discussion has created a sense of belonging within each group and contributed towards the participants' wider support networks and friendships. It is a magical blend of amazing texts and heartfelt contributions.”

For further information visit The Reader’s Shared Reading in Communities and to find out more about Shared Reading at Conwy Library Service visit Conwy Libraries or call 01492 576139.

About The Reader  
The Reader is a charity that uses the power of literature and reading aloud to transform lives across the UK. Our volunteers and staff bring people together to read great stories and poems – creating powerful moments of connection. We call this Shared Reading.  
In a world that feels increasingly divided, and with increased pressures on our mental health, Shared Reading offers us time and space to share what matters to us.  
We read with children, families, adults in libraries and community spaces, people in care homes, people with physical and mental health conditions, those coping with or recovering from addiction and people in the criminal justice system. Our work improves wellbeing, reduces loneliness and helps us find new meaning in our lives.   
The Reader is supported using public funding by Arts Council England, players of the People's Postcode Lottery, and Garfield Weston Foundation, as well as The National Lottery Community Fund.
Find out more at thereader.org.uk /@thereaderorg

Conwy Library Service 
Conwy Library Service has 10 libraries and 1 mobile / home library vehicle. Shared Reading is one of several community engagement and outreach activities the service provides to help support the health and wellbeing of customers.
Visit Conwy Libraries for details of events and a full list of services or contact 01492 576139.