Creating Connections, a series of free activities for people over 65 from Guild Care, has its own Book Club which is open to new members. As a local charity, Guild Care focuses on reducing social isolation and loneliness among older members of the community and its Book Club sessions have become a regular highlight for some local readers.

The group meets each month to share opinions about a chosen book. It is a sociable session where people talk about what they liked about the book, as well as what they didn’t like.

Guild Care’s community Book Club is organised with support from West Sussex Libraries, who make sure that the book is available in different formats, including audiobooks on CD, large print, paperback and hardback copies. This means members can generally choose the format that suits them best.

Looking back over the past two years, book club members have worked their way through a wide range of titles and genres, from crime to comedy and classics. Recent books the group has read and discussed include Normal People by Sally Rooney, The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Still Me by JoJo Moyes. For July, the group is reading Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan, set in the Scottish Highlands.

Megan Cohen from Guild Care’s Creating Connections, said, “Our Book Club members are a friendly group and discussions are always interesting, from what you thought of the novel’s plot to who you’d like to cast as the main characters in a film!

“All you need is a willingness to join in and enjoy good company. You’ll probably find some books you love and others you enjoy less but it’s lovely to be able to discover new authors and to share your thoughts after you finish a great book. This group gives you the chance to do just that within a small, friendly group.

The Book Club is now looking to welcome new members to the next session on Monday 13^th July from 1pm to 3pm at Holland House, Guild Care’s Community Hub in Little High Street, Worthing. New members are invited to simply come along and listen in for the first session if they prefer.

To find out more or to join Guild Care’s free Book Club, visit guildcare.org or call their friendly Creating Connections team on 01903 528635.