Thanks again to all those who attended Corbfest 2025. We had just over 460 visitors and raised a fabulous £1500! It was a great weekend full of arts, crafts, live music and Pomeranians 🐾🐾. Thanks again to our sponsor, Integra Estates, who donated an amazing raffle prize to winner Matt Jenner of a six-course Gourmet Meal for two with a cocktail at Marco Pierre Whites! We loved working in collaboration with St Andrews Church Hall, Torridon Stores and Abbotshall HLC, a true community event 😄 

August is full of the Summer Reading Challenge with activities scattered throughout the month, sowing the seeds for continued reading ‘Story Garden’-style. Talking of gardens, please read on to hear about ours…

Please also note, we’ll be taking a little break on Monday 25 August for the bank holiday.

Rachel, Ruth and all the CCL Team

‘A Woodland Edge’ garden donation

You may have noticed some planting going on outside the library! This is due to a fabulous donation of plants from Hampton Court Flower Show. Garden designer, Nicolas Navarno, kindly contributed most of the plants and trees from his 2025 design ‘A Woodland Edge’ to us - aren’t we lucky! After collecting it all, we’ve been busy planting 9 silver birch trees, 2 hazel trees and numerous ferns and wildflowers. We are blessed to have an onsite landscape gardener, Rory O’Driscoll, who also delivers Community Acupuncture here at the library. Rory’s talent has assisted us all the way, showing us where to plant what, along with a team of lovely green fingered volunteers. Special thanks to Paul S, Bev and Chris.

The garden will provide a great space for people to sit and enjoy as well as a fortuitous link to this years summer reading challenge, Story Garden! Sit, enjoy, read…

We would like to set up a Community Gardening Group to carry on with this work and maintain it once in place. If you would like to be involved please get in touch with [email protected] 

Summer Reading Challenge - Story Garden

This month we’d love your children to join in our Story Garden, this year’s Summer Reading Challenge! It’s aimed at children aged 5-11, where children are awarded prizes for each book they read. Sign up in the library and do make sure you complete 😃. We’re running several free events related to the challenge, including a special Jackynory, hopefully taking place outside (weather permitting) with stories and seed sowing, and a workshop by author Evadne Bygrave (see below) - please turn up and join in!

Under 5’s Singing - whopping donations!

Not only do the Under 5’s Singing Group have lots of fun, but they also raise lots of money! Every Monday volunteers Katriona, Brian and Rob kick the week off with a fantastic singing extravaganza, along with around 60 little people. Their singing fills the library with joy but also fills our donation tub with coins. The lovely group gives so generously that we have raised over £1000 this year so far! This has helped us fund the purchase of two new picture book boxes on wheels, cleaning the carpet in the meeting room and will go towards a ‘spooktacular’ Halloween…watch this space…

We want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to Katriona, Brian and Rob and all the lovely people that attend.

Volunteer interview: Jacky (on the right)

Why did you decide to volunteer here? After I retired, I wanted to get to know more people in the community and have a purpose for every day that I got up. I initially volunteered to do the Summer Reading Challenge, and seven years later I’m still here!

What’s your favourite thing about volunteering here? Meeting people, and making a difference by supporting people in the community.

Can you sum up the library in three words? Community, supportive, happy

Why would you recommend the library? For volunteering, it improves your mental health, gives you a purpose, and improves your skills (which can help in future employment). For visiting, it’s very welcoming, you can borrow materials, use computers, and attend events, which all helps you immerse yourself into the community.

SAVE THE DATE

9 August 11.15-12.15pm: Jackynory

14 August 10.30-11.30am: The Unhappy Caterpillar by Evadne Bygrave author workshop

14 & 21 August 2.30-4.30pm: Mindful Drawing

15 August 7-9pm: Catford SE6 exhibition opening: Frankie Parker

23 August 10-1pm: Reflexology with Georgia

AUGUST TIMETABLE