For the Love of Books...
As the nights draw in, what could be more relaxing than curling up with a good book and a spiced pumpkin latte? The benefits of reading have been well documented. For instance, did you know that immersing yourself in a piece of fiction for just 5 minutes a day can reduce stress by nearly 20%? Or, that reading regularly is a great way to improve vocabulary and concentration?
In recent years, there has also been an explosion in the number of book clubs, both online and in person, though none perhaps more regal than The Queen’s Reading Room. Formed by Her Majesty Queen Camilla, it began on Instagram in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a means to connect book lovers across the world before becoming a charity in 2023.
This sparkling festive season, Opportunity Kensington have teamed up with The Queen’s Reading Room to highlight the power of reading to connect with others and boost mental health, creating a giant book installation. Set beside the flower stand at St Mary Abbots Church, on the corner where Kensington High Street and Kensington Church Street meet, this eye-catching tower of books helps highlight the work of The Queen’s Reading Room.
Dressed in rich Christmas colours and festive trims, the installation’s large present box serves as drop off point where visitors can donate books, both old and new, benefitting the Friends of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital library, which operates a library and book trolley service for the hospital’s patients and staff. Visitors are also encouraged to ‘pay it forward’ by leaving supportive messages for the next reader.
The campaign will mark the first-ever physical activation carried out by The Queen’s Reading Room since the charity was established in February 2023. It is hoped that the installation will be the first of many other book donation initiatives in different areas of the UK for the Queen’s Reading Room.
This thought-provoking campaign is designed to highlight the transformative effect that reading can have, and will showcase how literature can unite, inspire and bring people together, during the festive period.
The link between reading and social connection is something The Queen’s Reading Room is committed to better understanding, having published its first neuroscientific study into the link between reading fiction and wellness earlier this year. The study, which used portable brain scans and galvanic skin testing on participants as they read excerpts from novels, proved that just 5 minutes of reading can reduce stress levels by almost 20%, improve concentration and focus by as much as 11%, and enable readers to feel better connected to each other.
