The Reader Organisation, a national charitable social enterprise have this week signed a lease with Liverpool City Council for Calderstones Mansion House giving them residency for 125 years. The organisation, an award-winning charitable social enterprise works across the UK to connect people with great literature and with each other. They are dedicated to making it possible for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to enjoy and actively engage with literature on a deep and personal level.
The Reader Organisation have been working from within the building for 18 months after securing preferable bidder status in 2013. They have been welcoming visitors in their thousands including their readers alongside members of the community to events within the house such as their children’s literature festival, heritage tours and weekly shared reading groups. They have also opened a thriving social enterprise café, re-opened both the garden theatre alongside the gallery, welcoming a variety of passionate local artists.
The signing of a lease means that they can now move ahead with their plans to develop the Mansion into an International Centre for Reading and Well-being, a home for readers. The first phase of the development will include working with members of the community to raise funds for vital mansion refurbishment, as well as working together to make sure local voices who feel a connection with the building are heard in the process. The project will need to acquire funding of £4 Million and has already secured a first stage Heritage Lottery Fund grant alongside a Social Investment Business feasibility grant.
The Reader Organisation are thrilled to have reached this stage and continue to develop the prospects for the Mansion House, Stables and surrounding buildings. Current future plans include the possibility of a bistro, accommodation for literary residencies, and the restoration of the much loved garden theatre. The Mansion House will continue to be open to the public whilst it undergoes future changes, not only with its shared reading groups but with rentable offices, catered events spaces and regular seasonal events.