Getting involved in running a reading group helped service users Joy Thorneycroft and Morag Dickson regain a sense of normality

A reading group was set up to address a lack of collaborative social activities for people with mental health problems. The group is fully co-produced by service users and members of a community mental health team. Evaluation of the group indicated that attendance has had a positive effect on members’ mental health, self-confidence and social interaction. Both authors were service users. With support from the community mental health team, they initiated, and have been fully involved in, all the meetings. They hope their experience will encourage the development of similar co-production projects elsewhere to meet local needs and provide mental health service users with a sense of normality, confidence and friendship.