Last month, our founder Dua Lipa joined the reading group at HMP Downview, a women’s prison in Surrey, England. The visit was at the invitation of Books Unlocked, a partnership between the Booker Prize Foundation and the National Literacy Trust that supports people in prisons and young offender institutions to read for enjoyment and strengthen their literary skills. Dua joined the women in a conversation about their shared love of books, how reading helps build friendships and community, and how it can help prepare the women for life beyond prison.

Books Unlocked was set up 12 years ago and now operates in 95 prisons in the UK and Ireland, with over 15,000 books donated to the programme. Several Booker Prize-nominated authors have visited prison reading groups as part of the project.

To find out more about Books Unlocked, visit The Booker Prize website at https://www.thebookerprizes.com/

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Welcome to the Service95 Book Club! We are thrilled to have a space where we can share with each other the titles that mean the most to us, and together dive into the minds of some of the world’s greatest authors.

Each month we will discuss a book personally chosen by Dua, representing writing from across the globe, assisted by new editorial content – such as discussion guides and further reading lists – that will bring you closer to the writer, their inspirations, and the worlds they create. You’re invited to read along with us, share your insights, and contribute your recommendations of the titles we should all know about.

For more on the Service95 Book Club, visit https://www.service95.com/book-club/