Reading Room volunteer scoops Judges Prize at Dementia Achievement Awards

Reading Rooms Belfast volunteer Rosemary McGreevy scooped the Judges Award at this year's Dementia Achievement Awards for her delivery of the Reading Rooms project in a residential care setting.

The Reading Rooms is the brainchild of Derry’s Verbal Arts Centre, and after a successful run in the North West, as part of the City of Culture programme, it has been invited to Belfast, beginning as a pilot project in partnership with the Duncairn Centre for Culture and Arts last year,

Trained volunteers will host free shared reading sessions in community groups, youth centres, men’s and women’s groups, schools groups, Alzheimer’s groups and even prisons. The volunteers will bring specifically selected short stories and poems to the groups and read them aloud in a fun and interactive way.

The conversations that arise from the interaction gives the participants an opportunity to relate it back to their own lives and experiences. Rosemary's work on this project led to her nomination for a Dementia Achievement Award and the Verbal Arts Centre team would like to congratulate her on her achievement.

James Kerr of the Verbal Arts Centre said, “We are delighted to be able to share the Reading Room experience with Belfast, as it has proven so popular with the community in Derry~Londonderry.  The groups have a fantastic experience in the Reading Rooms and the outcomes are amazing, particularly with the Alzheimer’s groups, the prison group, as well as with the children and young people. Feedback from participants has been very positive, the groups help to increase confidence and positivity, reduce the sense of isolation and encourage participants to work together for a common purpose. We would encourage people of all ages and abilities to come along and try the sessions”.

Reading Rooms are taking place right across Belfast, they are free to attend, and a drop in Belfast weekly session runs at Eason Belfast in the centre of town on Wednesday mornings at 11am, beginning on Wednesday 11th February. All are welcome! There are plans for the project to roll it out in various locations, as well as other towns and cities across the north.

The Reading Rooms project is supported by Belfast City Council, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Ulster Garden Villages, Derry City Council, DCAL, Clore Duffield Foundation, and British Council

Information can be found at http://theverbal.co/