Connecting residents through a love of reading – a personal experience of our Virtual Book Club

Our monthly Virtual Book Club has become a thriving, small community for residents, and they’re discovering not just great literature, but meeting new people and forming new friendships. It’s a perfect way for everyone to connect with booklovers from across the organisation. 

Diana Mitchener, a resident at our Rosehill location in West Sussex, shares her experience of our Virtual Book Club. She first found out about our Virtual Book Club through our resident magazine and since she had a love of literature, decided to give it a go. 

Unearthing Hidden Gems

I moved into Rosehill in November and I soon learnt about the scope of what Anchor offers through the resident magazine. The Virtual Book Club particularly appealed to me because I have a background in literature and was a member of a book club before Covid. So it was nice to join another club again.

I really enjoy the virtual sessions and find that they have introduced me to many new writers. If I’d been in the library and picked up one of the books, I probably wouldn’t have borrowed it, and yet every book we’ve read and discussed I found interesting and different. 
For example, the first book we read for the book club was The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I found it really intriguing, especially the twists at the end. They almost took my breath away.

I like the idea of inviting authors to sessions to talk about their writing. It’s always interesting to hear their perspectives and have them as part of the discussion.

A place for everyone

I really value how Anchor makes it easier for us to take part in the book club in a way that works for each of us. If someone needs books in another format, they can help with that too. For example, there is information on how we can pick up larger print copies of books or CDs from libraries. 

My eyesight has been poor over the last couple of years and so I use audiobooks and CDs from my local library. Sometimes I get lost so I make notes I can refer to when I need to remind myself who a person is or how a situation came about. 

I want to continue attending the book club though and I don’t let my eyesight stop me from joining in. 

Find out more about our Virtual Book Club

Our Virtual Book Club is open to all Anchor residents and meets on a Tuesday once a month at 1:30pm. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet new people and connect over a love of the written word. Visit here to learn more about our Virtual Book Club.