Take back control, you’re not done at the helm of your life yet!
If only there were a way to reduce loneliness, increase empathy, help with sleeping, relax and, reduce stress! There is. Read on. No, actually, read on. These are all wonderful by products of reading. Cheerful, colourful, collateral of just picking up a book. All borne out in research.
And these are just a few reasons why WTF get involved in “World Book Night”. An attempt by the Reading Agency to promote better health and well-being, through the power of reading. They provide free books for communities, with local organisations distributing them. The book we shared with the world this year, was “The Boy Between”. This blog isn’t a review, it’s about validating one of the claims about the complimentary off shoots of reading: the shared experience.
Our CEO, Joanna, left copies of “The Boy Between” in community hubs, offices and shops around West Hallam and Ilkeston. It was whilst in one of those shops, Dunelm, Jo witnessed first-hand, one of the gifts that reading bestows; the challenging contents of the book struck a chord in a number of the team. The Boy Between and its theme, the personal accounts of a mother and son whilst he is tackling debilitating depression, catalysed and set off the Dunelm team and Jo talking. The thread of personal, sad, and joyful experiences and of “just getting through” ran through the seam of the chat. Everyone got involved, bringing similar, different, eye brow raising, experiences to the conversation. Experiences shared, all because we shared a book.
That old show off research, tells us that 93% of all communication is non -verbal. So, make the remaining 7% impactful, kind, and productive. Use a book to start a conversation. As it looks like that not only can talking fix but reading can too. Who knew?
The Will Garvey Trust Foundation currently provide mental health libraries to a number of schools within West Hallam, Ilkeston, Heanor and Summercotes. The resources we provide are a mix of reading, audio books and sign posting material. Our aim is to boost self-esteem, confidence and self-worth through reading.
