Latest News & Blogs
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The Blakesley family return to Kuwait…
During lockdown the Blakesley family wrote blogs for us about being stranded in the UK, unable to return to Kuwait. In their final blogs, Nathaniel, Paul, and Karen share what it was like to [...]
Ever have battling thoughts over what your family ought to be reading?
In this blog Reading Force founder Professor Alison Baverstock talks about why reading and sharing ANY book is what matters… Which book should we choose to share? We are often asked by [...]
Lockdown Librarian
Our resident blogger Emma O’Brien reflects on the similarities between lockdown and military family life, AND shares the best books to escape with, books for a good cry and a good laugh, and comfort [...]
Brave New World
Ahead of a seminar on the lives and experiences of Forces partners, taking place on 8th July, Alison Baverstock, Reading Force founder and military wife for 30 years reflects on lockdown and deploymets. Talking to a [...]
‘I’ve always enjoyed both reading and being read to.’
In Part 3 of the Blakesley family lockdown blogs, Nathaniel (12) shares his thoughts on reading, boarding school, and Sherlock Holmes during lockdown… I’ve always enjoyed both reading and being read to. I remember having [...]
Lockdown Life
In Part 2 of the Blakesley lockdown blogs, Karen takes the pen from Paul and recalls arriving in the UK, moving to the Services Cotswold Centre, how reading habits change with life events, and her [...]
Word of command?
Alison and Corporal Andrew Miller, The London Regiment – G Company Last week journalist Marina Hyde highlighted the increasing use of a military vocabulary for the COVID-19 crisis. She was right. Journalists and [...]
Alison’s epic adventure to the Arctic to raise money for Reading Force
Alison Allmand-Smith has returned from her epic adventure to the Arctic to raise £3,000 for Reading Force! She says it was an amazing expedition - and very challenging! Here she shares photos of her [...]
Just to let you know we’re still open for business…
The Scott siblings opening Reading Force post I’ve had a familiar feeling in my stomach for the last week or so, as we prepare for the arrival of something we [...]
Military Wives
Have you seen Military Wives yet? Founder and director of Reading Force, Alison Baverstock, gives her thoughts on the film here, what the makers got wrong, and what they got so right… Military Wives [...]
An epic adventure to the Arctic Circle
Alison Allmand-Smith is about to embark on an epic adventure to the Arctic Circle to fundraise for Reading Force – WOW! We’d like to say a very BIG thank you to Alison! In this blog [...]
The Brightstorm twins are back for more adventure on the sky-ship Aurora…
We’re thrilled Vashti Hardy, the author of Brightstorm and Wildspark – both nominated for the Blue Peter Book Award! – has written our latest guest blog to mark a very exciting day… Darkwhispers, the sequel [...]
Booking the chance to say thank you
Running a charity, and ensuring there is enough money to keep going, is much harder than it looks. Charities rely on donations. Company budgets and funds that give charitable grants are increasingly under pressure. [...]
Top tips for military life
Julie Boyle’s husband is leaving the Army this year, having served for 22 years. Here, as our guest blogger, Julie looks back on life as a military wife and mother, reflects and shares her top [...]
Planning for Christmas… with a loved one away
Founder of Reading Force, Alison Baverstock, was an Army wife for 30 years and experienced many Christmases separated from her husband. Here she shares her top tips for managing Christmas with a loved one away [...]
Let’s hear it for the girls…
A lucky Reading Force family recently won a copy of Holly Webb’s exciting new book The Runaways. Holly is the author of 128 books, and we’re thrilled Holly has written our guest blog on her [...]
A Secret Diary of The First World War
Our guest blogger, Gill Arbuthnott, author of A Secret Diary of The First World War, shares what it was like to write about real Scottish soldiers... I always buy a poppy in November, but until a [...]
Thinking of doing Reading Force?
We’re very pleased to welcome guest blogger Daniela Makin, who generously shares her family’s experience of doing Reading Force below…. Our Reading Force... by the Makins Hello! We are the Makins, a book-loving and creative [...]
Many thanks for supporting our Ride London 100 cyclist!
Many thanks for supporting Neil, our Ride London 100 cyclist! He made it with flying colours!! We’d like to thank everyone who supported our Reading Force cyclist in August’s gruelling Prudential Ride London 100 miles! [...]
Reading Force summer reading top picks!
Whether you’re on the beach or at home, you can travel everywhere with a good book! Here are some of our favourite new releases…. Babies and toddlers Swarm Of [...]
Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award for Reading Force founder
We’re thrilled that our founder and Director, Dr Alison Baverstock, has been awarded a Points of Light Award to coincide with Armed Forces Week for her commitment to Forces families. Points of Light are outstanding [...]
Why I set up The Ripple Pond
We love working with other charities supporting Forces families, and The Ripple Pond is a charity we admire and are very happy to work with. Here, founder of The Ripple Pond, Julia Molony, shares her [...]
Home is where the books are
Our guest blogger, children’s author S.P. Moss, shares memories of her RAF childhood and the books that became ‘home’. She is kindly giving two signed copies of her books, The Bother in Burmeon and The [...]