In a bid to foster community and connection, Reading Force is partnering with veteran organisations across the country to launch book clubs, forging new friendships through the shared love of reading. One such organisation, Veterans Outreach Support (VOS) in Portsmouth, has embraced this initiative with open arms.
A New Chapter for VOS
The VOS book club, part of the charity’s comprehensive wellbeing programme, kicked off late last year with their first three reads provided by Reading Force. We had the pleasure of speaking with Alison, a member who found the courage to attend her first book club meeting after enduring personal trauma.
Alison’s Journey
Alison and her husband, Peter—a veteran of both the British Army and Royal Navy—joined VOS two years ago. However, it was the email about the new book club that spurred Alison into action. She recalls, “I’d become a member of VOS about two years ago with my husband, but this was the first activity I’d actually signed up for. When I saw the email about the book club, I clicked on the link to see the list of book choices, and the next thing I knew, I had a place at the club! It jokingly became known as ‘The Accidental Book Club’ among my friends.”
A Story of Resilience
Life took a tragic turn for Alison’s family when their teenage son Noa was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2019. Despite successful initial treatment, the cancer returned, and Noa sadly passed away on New Year’s Eve in 2020. During Noa’s treatment, Alison found solace in carrying a book to his hospital visits. “I never read it, maybe just one chapter, but it was like a comfort blanket. One day, I decided to actually read it and finished it. That was the first book I’d read in years.”
Following Noa’s death, Alison and Peter were referred to VOS for emotional and financial support – she had had to give up working to take Noa to his hospital appointments. It was Alison’s renewed passion for reading that led her to join the book club. She explains, “I’d started reading a couple of books but had no one to talk to about them. At the book club, everyone is there for the same reason. They’ve all come through VOS for the support. We all come from different backgrounds and experiences, which means we have different opinions on the books, and sharing those opinions is important.”
Building a Community
The VOS book club has united former military personnel and spouses from all three branches of the Armed Forces, rekindling the camaraderie Alison had missed. The future is looking brighter for her; attending the book club has given her the confidence to join other events, and she’s even taken charge of sourcing upcoming books for the club with three already lined up for the coming months.
We hope the VOS book club continues to thrive, fostering new friendships and lively discussions about their latest reads. Thank you, Alison, for sharing your own story with us!