Hello Gardeners!
It's been a minute since we've shared a #WeedsToSeeds story. Today's story was found via BBC News and is about a teenager who started reading to a former librarian who stopped reading due to vision problems onset by Lupus. When we dug a little further, we found the organization that this teenager volunteered for called Reading Friends which is part of the Reading Agency.
Reading Friends is based in the UK and their mission is to "tackle life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading." Simply put, they provide readers to people who are no longer able to read. The impact of this simple mission has far bigger benefits than anyone could have imagined.
Many of the people who require readers suffer from dementia or diseases that have compromised their vision and in turn experience depression and loneliness.
The beauty of this organization is that it addresses multiple issues simultaneously: it re-introduces literature and reading to those who can no longer read, it provides connection and communication to those who are deprived of it, and it benefits the readers' in countless ways socially and emotionally.
The Reading Agency has developed their programming to include not just older people, but kids, teens, adults with dementia, and inmates, and have created a fun sense of community around reading again! We love that such a simple mission has spread seeds of positivity and joy to over a million people! It doesn't matter how old you are, where you come from, what your life experience has been - we can all enjoy a good book. And what better way to enjoy a good book, than to enjoy it with good company?
This #WeedsToSeeds story just goes to show you that it doesn't matter who you are, we all have weeds - and it takes talking with those who will listen and support us to help pull them out! Please go check out Reading Friends & the Reading Agency to see the amazing seeds they've spread in the UK. Here's a little gardening task for you - consider reading You Are A Gardener to someone you love this weekend!
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