Explore every episode of the podcast A Shared Reading Podcast by Derby Book Festival

Festival voices, author conversations and the joy of reading together

Welcome to the first of our special Summer Festival feature episodes from A Shared Reading Podcast by Derby Book Festival.

Hosted by Shared Reading volunteers Ellie and Steve, this episode was recorded during the Festival in May and brings together author interviews, festival reflections and audience voices gathered as part of our special podcast recordings.

Across this episode, you’ll hear conversations about reading, wellbeing, imagination, creativity and the connections that happen when people come together around books.

Featuring:

Claudia Hammond

Author of Overwhelmed, Claudia joins us to talk about pressure, rest and wellbeing, and how we might think differently about the demands of modern life.

Ben Davis

Children’s author Ben Davies joined us at the Festival, where he ran a writing workshop. In this episode, we hear more about his work, creativity and encouraging people to enjoy writing and storytelling.

Vanessa Cameron

Vanessa shares more about Derby Book Festival’s children’s programme and the Children’s Book Appeal, and why helping children access books matters.

Janet Tennant

Author of Refugee Countess, Janet talks about the remarkable life of Marion Stein and the story behind her book.

You’ll also hear from festival-goers sharing their reflections on the Festival itself, from the welcoming atmosphere to the conversations, connections and sense of community that happen when people come together around books.

Listen to the full conversations

We’ve included edited highlights in this episode, but you can also listen to the full interviews here:

Full interview with Claudia Hammond

Full interview with Ben Davies

Full interview with Vanessa Cameron

Full interview with Janet Tennant

This episode was recorded and edited by Rose Braisby.

With thanks to our Shared Reading podcast hosts Ellie and Steve, everyone who spoke to us at the Festival, and the Derby Book Festival team and volunteers who helped make these special recordings possible.

A Shared Reading Podcast by Derby Book Festival celebrates local voices, community connection and the conversations that begin when we read together.

Each episode gives a flavour of our Shared Reading programme: warm, welcoming conversations through stories, poems and other short texts. Across the series, we’ve featured local writers, Shared Reading volunteers and participants, all sharing their experiences of reading, connection and community.

You can catch up on all our previous episodes here

Could you help keep the podcast going?

We’d love to keep growing A Shared Reading Podcast by Derby Book Festival and continue sharing local voices, author conversations and stories of reading, wellbeing and connection.

To make that possible, we’re looking for support from individuals and organisations who can help us sustain the series. This could include sponsoring an episode, supporting a future season, sharing the podcast through your networks, including it in a newsletter, website or social post, or offering in-kind support such as recording space, promotion, design, photography or other practical help.

Sponsorship starts from £100 for community support, with options to sponsor or co-sponsor individual episodes and seasons.

If you or your organisation would like to support a community podcast that celebrates reading, creativity, wellbeing and connection, we’d love to have a conversation: shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk

What is Shared Reading?

Shared Reading is a simple, welcoming way to enjoy stories, poems and other short texts in a group. A trained volunteer reads aloud, then everyone is invited to chat about whatever the words bring up - memories, feelings, ideas, favourite lines, or anything else that comes to mind.

There’s no prep, no pressure and no need to be a literature expert. You can share as much or as little as you like, or simply listen.

We run Shared Reading groups across Derby and Derbyshire, including in community venues, libraries, cafés, healthcare settings and online.

Warm wishes, The Shared Reading Team @ Derby Book Festival

📧 shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk 

📑 Join a Shared Reading session near you, find out more here

📚 Volunteer with us, find out more and register your interest here

📰 Sign up to our Shared Reading newsletter here

 💛 Support Shared Reading with a donation here

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Local voices, shared stories, real connection - welcome back to the Shared Reading podcast from Derby Book Festival

This episode is hosted by Shared Reading volunteers Ellie and Steve, and we’re diving straight into a mini Shared Reading-style session on the theme of Friendship. As always, it’s a relaxed and friendly conversation sparked by reading together in the moment.

Featuring:

• Sam Warburton - local author, illustrator and sketchnote artist. Sam shares two readings from her debut illustrated book - The Dog, The Bird, The Book, and joins the discussion as we explore what friendship can look like in small moments, quiet exchanges, and the ways we support one another.
• Lucy Prior - Shared Reading volunteer. Lucy joins as our Shared Reading guest voice for this episode, taking part in the conversation and reflections alongside Ellie, Steve and Sam. 

Today’s readings:

Sam reads Chapter 4 (“Walking Towards Your North Star”) and Chapter 5 (“Experimenting and documenting”) from The Dog, The Bird, The Book. Sam has kindly allowed us to share a PDF copy of these chapters so you can read along and enjoy the beautiful illustrations.

Download Chapters 4 & 5 (PDF) here

• Website: https://www.samwarburton.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samwarburton_illustrator/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-warburton-acim/
• Substack: https://samwarburton.substack.com/

If you head to Sam's website you can buy signed copies of The Dog, The Bird, The Book and subscribe to her free arTEA break newsletter which gives you a gentle, wellbeing-focused art session by email on the third Friday of every month at 12pm.

Thank you

A big thank you to Dubrek Studios for being the perfect recording spot for this episode.

Derby Book Festival takes place 22–31 May. Tickets are available to book online via the website https://www.derbybookfestival.co.uk/  and we’ll also be taking donations for the Children’s Book Appeal, if you’re visiting the festival and would like to bring children’s books to donate, we’d love your support.

Could you help keep the podcast going?

We’d love to keep growing A Shared Reading Podcast by Derby Book Festival and continue sharing local voices, author conversations and stories of reading, wellbeing and connection.

To make that possible, we’re looking for support from individuals and organisations who can help us sustain the series. This could include sponsoring an episode, supporting a future season, sharing the podcast through your networks, including it in a newsletter, website or social post, or offering in-kind support such as recording space, promotion, design, photography or other practical help.

Sponsorship starts from £100 for community support, with options to sponsor or co-sponsor individual episodes and seasons.

If you or your organisation would like to support a community podcast that celebrates reading, creativity, wellbeing and connection, we’d love to have a conversation: shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk

This episode was recorded and edited by Rose Braisby.

Warm wishes from The Shared Reading Team @ Derby Book Festival 📧 shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk 

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Local voices, shared stories, real connection - welcome back to the Shared Reading podcast from Derby Book Festival

This episode is hosted by Shared Reading volunteers Ellie and Steve, and we’re joined by two wonderful guests:

• Peter, a Shared Reading participant, who shares what his Shared Reading group means to him and what he enjoys most about taking part.

• Cullen, a local poet, who wrote two brand new poems especially for this episode on our theme: Colour.

Together, we explore Cullen’s poems and take part in a mini Shared Reading-style session, sharing reflections, memories, images, and feelings that the words bring up, just like you’d experience in a real Shared Reading group.

Find out more:

If you'd like to find out more about Cullen Marshall and his poetry you can follow Cullen on Instagram

The Shared Reading group mentioned a few times in this episode is our Artcore Café group: 📍 Artcore Café, 8 Albert St, Osnabruck Square, Derby, DE1 2DS 🗓️ Every Thursday ⏰ 11:30-12:30 📌 Upstairs room

If you'd like to give Shared Reading a try you're very welcome to pop in and join us at Artcore (or any of our other groups), no need to book, just turn up.

A big thank you to Dubrek Studios for being incredibly helpful and supportive hosts during the recording of this episode.

Could you help keep the podcast going?

We’d love to keep growing A Shared Reading Podcast by Derby Book Festival and continue sharing local voices, author conversations and stories of reading, wellbeing and connection.

To make that possible, we’re looking for support from individuals and organisations who can help us sustain the series. This could include sponsoring an episode, supporting a future season, sharing the podcast through your networks, including it in a newsletter, website or social post, or offering in-kind support such as recording space, promotion, design, photography or other practical help.

Sponsorship starts from £100 for community support, with options to sponsor or co-sponsor individual episodes and seasons.

If you or your organisation would like to support a community podcast that celebrates reading, creativity, wellbeing and connection, we’d love to have a conversation: shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk

This episode was recorded and edited by Rose Braisby.

Warm wishes from The Shared Reading Team @ Derby Book Festival 📧 shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk 

Local voices, shared stories, real connection - welcome to our new Shared Reading podcast

In this pilot episode we introduce our hosts Ellie and Steve (two of our Shared Reading volunteers).

We're also joined by Rose Braisby from the Shared Reading team at Derby Book Festival to discuss what Shared Reading is and what it's like to join a Shared Reading group.

We enjoy a mini Shared Reading session along the theme of voices and include a reading from Zhuriel De la Rosa (winner of the 11-17 age category) of Derby Book Festival's Flash Fiction competition this year.

Find out more: Learn more about Derby Book Festival's annual Flash Fiction Competition and how you could take part here

Could you help keep the podcast going?

We’d love to keep growing A Shared Reading Podcast by Derby Book Festival and continue sharing local voices, author conversations and stories of reading, wellbeing and connection.

To make that possible, we’re looking for support from individuals and organisations who can help us sustain the series. This could include sponsoring an episode, supporting a future season, sharing the podcast through your networks, including it in a newsletter, website or social post, or offering in-kind support such as recording space, promotion, design, photography or other practical help.

Sponsorship starts from £100 for community support, with options to sponsor or co-sponsor individual episodes and seasons.

If you or your organisation would like to support a community podcast that celebrates reading, creativity, wellbeing and connection, we’d love to have a conversation: shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk

This episode was recorded and edited by Rose Braisby.

Warm wishes from The Shared Reading Team @ Derby Book Festival 📧 shared.reading@derbybookfestival.co.uk