Reading has many mental health benefits

We recently held a magical event for the young people in our care at FitzRoy House in celebration of ‘Harry Potter Book Night,’ which encourages people to share their love of J.K Rowling's popular novels.

There is strong evidence that reading for pleasure has many mental health benefits, and we actively encourage the people in our care to embrace reading.

Reading helps us to be more empathetic to others’ feelings, reduces symptoms of depression and can improve our relationships. It can also improve our health and wellbeing, by building confidence and self-esteem and encouraging us to pursue our goals and make life decisions. It can also aid sleep and reduce feelings of loneliness.  

Alongside World Book Day, Harry Potter Book Night has established itself as one of the biggest days in the literary calendar, with the magic of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter novels the perfect books to immerse yourself in.  

Our staff kept the Harry Potter magic alive by donning Potter-esque costumes, including Harry Potter himself, Professor Trelawney, Professor McGonagall and even Dumbledore.  

As well as creating numerous spellbinding displays, the young people in our care took part in a range of wizardry activities including treasure hunts, beastly quizzes, potion making and magical arts and crafts.  

Helen Gunn, a teacher at our St Andrew’s College, said: “It was such a wonderful event, with lots of young ‘wizards’ and ‘witches’ coming along to help celebrate the iconic books.

“I’d like to thank all staff involved for creating such a magical atmosphere, which will hopefully inspire some of our patients to discover the adventures of Harry Potter for the first time. Lots of fun and laughter was had by all.”