New partnership with Beyond Words and Derby libraries

Derby Book Festival announces new partnership with Beyond Words and Derby Libraries

Derby Book Festival is working with Derby Libraries and Beyond Words, the UK’s national charity for visual literacy, to launch a new Book Club to support people with learning disabilities.  The Book Club, which starts at Mickleover Library from September 2025, will be the 100th for Beyond Words and the second for Derby Libraries.  It will be led by volunteers from Derby Book Festival’s Shared Reading project, which supports health and wellbeing.  

Beyond Words empower people with learning disabilities through word-free picture stories. Every story is co-created with people with lived experience and trialled by people with learning disabilities.  

Katie Smith, Beyond Words CEO said: “Our Book Clubs are more than just stories – they are about connection, inclusion and belonging. Thanks to generous funding from the National Lottery Community Fund we are on track to launch 300 Book Clubs across England by 2026”. 
Derby City Council’s Derby Libraries team has already been running a Book Club at Alvaston Library since May 2025, in partnership with the Council’s Derby Adult Learning Service. A third Book Club will be starting in September at Riverside Library. The book club at Mickleover Library will be run by trained volunteers and held once a month with each session lasting an hour.

Sian Hoyle, Festival Director for Derby Book Festival said: “Our Shared Reading project, which is funded by the National Lottery, uses poems and stories to support health and well-being, has been running since 2017 and goes from strength to strength.  We now have 17 groups across the city and the project with Beyond Words is a new development for us to support people with learning disabilities with tried and tested books.”  

Councillor Sarah Chambers, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities, said: “I'm thrilled Mickleover Library will host the 100th Beyond Words Book Club, thanks to the partnership between Derby Libraries, Derby Book Festival and Beyond Words. Not just that, but Riverside Library will also launch a group in September. This initiative is a powerful example of our commitment to fostering inclusion and connection for people with learning disabilities. A big thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who make these invaluable groups happen.”

You can find more information about Shared Reading here

You can find out more about Beyond Words here