We all know reading makes your world bigger, makes you smarter, and fuels your creativity. But did you know a University of Sussex study proved that just six minutes of reading can reduce your stress level by 68 per cent?
This is because it lowers your breathing rate and reduces muscle tension. Reading also increases your empathy and compassion.
Despite these benefits, in the face of busy lives and distracting screens, fewer of us are making time for it. But 2026 is the National Year of Reading, reminding all of us to Go All In and get back into it.
Reading Force doesn’t just encourage children and young people to read, it encourages them to chat about books with parents/carers and the wider family. And if you want to you can complete a scrapbook or a teen journal.
Reading Force can help with our free books and resources for military children. You can take part when you’re at home together, or when a loved one is deployed. It’s up to you.
Request your free books by going to readingforce.org.uk.
“It’s so lovely to share the stories and to talk about them. They are wonderful books,” says one family.
Why do it? Because sharing and chatting about books – whether you loved or hated a book, is fun, bonding, and a great excuse for a conversation. Families often tell us they start talking about a book and before they know it are having good chats about other things.
Reading Force is tri-Service, and welcomes children and young people aged up to 18, who are from serving, veteran, bereaved and divorced Forces families.
It has books for dyslexic readers too. Adults can join its book clubs as well and each book club member will receive three free books to keep. Volunteer co-ordinators will be supported to set up and run their book club. Books can also be posted to overseas locations using the BFPO system.
One book club co-ordinator says: “We laughed non-stop throughout the first meeting which was lovely, we’ve also had some members that haven’t read books for years and have devoured the first book already.”
To find out more about setting up a book club, email nicola@readingforce.org.uk, call 07519 665410, or visit the website.
And you can discover more about the National Year of Reading.