A LITERACY project is linking up prisoners and housing association staff through a shared reading scheme.

The Oxfordshire County Council-run library service at HMP Huntercombe, a Category C men’s prison near Nuffield in South Oxfordshire, has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust and Soha Housing to create an inclusive book club.

The Breaking Barriers Book Club has seen a group of Soha Housing staff and residents join the prison library reading group to discuss Pigeon English, a novel by the 2011 Man Booker Prize-shortlisted author Stephen Kelman.

Mr Kelman, visiting the prison today to read from Pigeon English, said: “ I’m really looking forward to meeting all the participants and discussing their reactions to my book.”

Twenty prisoners and 10 Soha staff and residents have been taking part in the project, meeting at the prison to share their views.

Oxfordshire County Council provides library facilities at HMP Huntercombe and HMP Bullingdon near Bicester.

Neelam Rutti, council library manager at HMP Huntercombe, said: “I see it as my role to help promote literacy and support the rehabilitative culture in the prison.

“When prisoners voiced concerns about not feeling part of the community, I was able to facilitate links with the local housing association and set up this reading group. The interaction between the groups has helped to dispel some of the myths around prison life and enabled the prisoners to feel more comfortable with the wider community’s views.”