Job vacancies – Aldershot Book Club Coordinator (Daytime)

Reading Force

Job title: Aldershot Book Club Coordinator (Daytime)

Key role:

Join the Reading Force team to deliver our Book Club & Chat sessions for Military Partners/Spouses. You will coordinate a monthly daytime book club in Aldershot Garrison, welcoming newly relocated spouses/partners, sharing local information, and helping participants build connections through shared reading. You will report to the Reading Force Book Club Ambassador and work alongside coordinators in Tidworth, Catterick, and the Aldershot evening group.

Contract runs from June 2026 (or earlier) to March 2028.

Background

Reading Force book clubs launched in 2021 and now support over 1,400 members across the UK and overseas. They bring together children, spouses, serving personnel, veterans, and others in the Forces community through shared reading.

This project, funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, supports newly relocated military partners/spouses in Aldershot Garrison by offering friendly, structured book discussions, social connection, and local information.

This role suits someone who enjoys reading, is based in the Aldershot area, and ideally has a military connection or willingness to learn about military life. Familiarity with Aldershot Garrison and the local area is beneficial.

Competencies

• Understanding of Reading Force’s mission, values, and goals
• Insight into the needs of Armed Forces communities
• Commitment to the value of reading and shared books

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver one 2‑hour daytime Book Club & Chat session each month
• Facilitate book discussions, informal networking, and local information sharing
• Promote the club through coffee mornings, local groups, leaflet drops, and social media
• Read and prepare for each book selection
• Attend monthly team meetings (Teams, first Thursday, 0930–1015)
• Provide regular feedback and monitoring information to the Book Club Ambassador
• Sticker, package, and distribute books and materials to participants
• Encourage completion of surveys and evaluation tools

Note: The current daytime session runs 9–11am on the third Wednesday of each month at Maurice Toye House. If this time/venue is unsuitable, we can support you to identify an alternative within the Garrison.

Working with people

• Be the helpful first point of contact for anyone interested in the book club
• Build positive relationships with participants and local groups around the Garrison
• Engage with local contacts, groups, and networks to encourage new members to sign up
• Support new members to feel comfortable and help the group connect through discussion
• Keep in regular contact with the Reading Force team and share updates with the Book Club Ambassador
• Encourage feedback through the completion of surveys and monitoring tools
• Contribute ideas and feedback to help the project run smoothly and improve over time

Financial and governance:

• Keep accurate records of your hours and any expenses
• Gain authorisation from Book Ambassador before making purchases for the project
• Help provide updates for funders about how the sessions are going
• Follow Reading Force policies and support our commitment to inclusion
• Adhere to the Reading Force policies

Admin

• Preparing resources for book club members and planning timely despatch
• Respond to enquiries in a timely way
• Confident using MS Office (including SharePoint) Teams and Gmail
• Assist with feedback systems to measure outcomes
• Access to a computer/phone and space to store books/materials

Communications & Marketing

With the support of other members of the RF team:

• Represent Reading Force positively in the local area
• Help promote the book club at local events, including social media activity

Working hours & pay:

• Funding for the Book Club Coordinator role is for a fixed term contract until March 2028
• Home‑based role with regular travel in the Aldershot Garrison area to promote the club and host sessions
• 9 hours a month, to include a 2-hour daytime Book Club & Chat session each month
• A six-month probationary/review period applies from the start date
• Full training provided
• Reports to the Book Club Ambassador
• Salary is £12.71 per hour, subject to PAYE and National Insurance deductions
• Annual leave entitlement based on 28 days per holiday year (pro rata). Including the eight usual bank and public holidays

In brief:

Informed, proactive, collaborative, responsive, focussed, empathic.

The person taking up this position will be joining a well-established team and the role is fully supported, with access to our informal, proactive and committed team.

To apply: please send a single page letter to our Book Club Ambassador explaining why you would like the role, and what you would bring to it, along with a copy of your CV to nicola@readingforce.org.uk by midnight on Wednesday 15^th April 2026. Interviews will be held on Teams on Tuesday 21^st April 2026.

Reading Force charitable objectives

Reading Force is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. 1159890.

The following objects are for the public benefit for all British Armed Forces families and children living in the UK and overseas: –

1) To advance education by encouraging families to read together for pleasure and talk about a book by providing advice and assistance and materials to support shared reading activities; and

2) To promote and protect good health by using reading as a means of mitigating stress and increasing communication and good family relationships following separation due to training, deployment, postings and mobility.