In 2024 we worked with six community groups to build and decorate Little Free Libraries, which will be installed across the neighbourhood for all to share and use. They will be filled with free books, seeds, larder foods and anything else that communities want to share, and each community group who made them will be their custodians and care for their maintenance.
Volunteers who took part in woodwork sessions learned to make the book boxes from scratch. Many who attended had never used a drill before. Sessions were led by RivelinCo woodwork facilitator Sue Clarke.
Different volunteers from each group were then invited to paint their libraries with mural artist Grace Jandrell, as part of an intergenerational painting day. Grace supported each group to design and paint their Little Free Library, so each one would be eye-catching and fit well at their chosen location.
Some libraries have already been installed and others will be in place by Spring 2025. The final locations will be:
- Hillsborough Park Walled Garden, made by the walled gardeners
- Rudyard Road Community Garden, made by the garden volunteers
- Winn Gardens S6 Food Bank, made by the community fridge volunteers
- Stannington Post Office, made by the Stannington traders group
- Edward Street Playground, made by residents of Edward Street flats
- At our base, 339 Middlewood Road, made by our Young Creatives group
