Peters works with The Reading Agency on Read, Talk, Share campaign

March 3rd 2021

Peters is working alongside The Reading Agency to supply hundreds of thousands of books to every public library in England, as part of their unprecedented Read, Talk, Share campaign.

Funded by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS), The Reading Agency is donating more than 220,000 books worth £2 million to public libraries, to help combat loneliness and support mental health and wellbeing in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The power of reading and positive impact of bibliotherapy on mental health are widely reported and supported by a range of studies.

All of the books being supplied are part of the Reading Well for mental health collections for adults, children, and young people, and will be dispatched by Peters to all public libraries across England during spring 2021.

Reading Well supports people to understand and manage their health and wellbeing using helpful reading. Topics explored include mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy; coping with grief, anxiety, depression, and stress; understanding bullies, body dysmorphia, ADHD, autism, and OCD; and much more. The books are all chosen and recommended by health experts, as well as people with lived experience of the conditions and topics covered and their relatives and carers.

The programme is supported by a wide range of professional health bodies including NHS England and The Royal College of GPs. Health and social care professionals, link workers, teachers, and anyone else offering support can use the scheme to recommend helpful reading, and the scheme can also be used on a self-referral basis.

Books from each list will be available for borrowing from library authorities across England – check with your local library authority for more information.

Find out more about Read, Talk, Share

The Reading Agency is a national charity that tackles life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading. We work closely with partners to develop and deliver programmes for people of all ages and backgrounds; our vision is for a world where everyone is reading their way to a better life. We help 1.8 million people benefit from reading every year, through our programmes, our tireless campaigning, our excellent networks and our power to influence, challenge and make change happen. www.readingagency.org.uk