Fully Booked

Fully Booked was a 9 month project run by Cheshire Libraries in partnership with Social Services, from October 2000 - June 2001. Funding was received from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Wolfson Public Libraries Challenge Fund. This paid for the project manager post and the resource packs compiled to sustain the work. The overall aim of the project was to promote reading and the sharing of the enjoyment of reading among older people, who may find it difficult to access library services.
 
During the project, Kathryn Arden, the Project Manager, ran reading group sessions in 12 day centres and community support centres across Cheshire. She used readings and poetry on different themes to prompt conversations and reminiscence among clients. The sessions lasted from 30 minutes to an hour, with anything from 2 to 12 people. People with a wide range of needs and abilities enjoyed attending, and benefited from participating in the sessions. She found that people with visual impairments particularly enjoyed the exposure to books, which they could no longer read for themselves. People with dementia also took part and responded well.