We were thrilled to help celebrate Black History Month with the help of Lesley Allan, from ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ last Saturday, who organised a fantastic event with around seventy local attendees. Patties, fruit, and rum cake were served to our guests whilst they listened to a steel drum, by ‘Play it on Pan’, play their favourite tunes. We also had a fascinating photo exhibition of local Catford residents from the Windrush generation including Beryl who celebrated her 100th birthday last week! It was so lovely to see several newbies in the library and even better to see people up and dancing and filling the library with joy!

We were also lucky enough to host a seminar by Dr Gwen Rose and K&F Crafts held their cultural arts and craft market here too.

Applications have now closed for our Annual Christmas Fair and we can’t wait to welcome you all here. As usual there will be a variety of local artists, makers and bakers selling their bespoke treats, gifts and goodies making this is a perfect opportunity to support small independent businesses and shop local. We are so excited to be joined by the Corbett Quartet, who consist of three very local and talented clarinet players who will treat us to some Christmas tunes! We will later be hosting our lovely Catford Community Choir at 3pm before calling the raffle.

There will be plenty for children to do with face painting, cake decorating and art. Outside you will be able to get fantastic coffee from Mont58, Jerk Chicken from local cook, Annette, a Christmas Tree from Abbotshall HLC or something smelly curtesy of the Catford Soap Company. Inside we will serving vegetarian soup and tempt you with mulled wine, cakes and lots of shopping.

You may have noticed that Dora has been having a pop up stall at the library some Saturday mornings. It has become so popular that we have popped in some dates for you: 15th Nov 10-1pm, 29th Nov at our Christmas Fair and & 13th Dec 10-1pm.

The library has offered the Afghani community free use of a classroom to host Pashtu classes starting on Saturday 1st November 1-3pm for 4 weeks, with a view to it being weekly in the new year. We have three experienced teachers who have offered their time to work with mothers, young people, and children to teach them Pashto. If you know anyone who could benefit from this please put them in touch.

Did you know that our lovely in house Knit and Knatter group knit all year to raise money for us? Well they do and they are very good at it! The knit all year then host stalls at three events; the Christmas Fair, Corbfest and Catford Arts Trail. At the Catford Arts Trail this October they raised a whopping £596.75! We would like to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to all of the ladies for literally knitting us money and to all the lovely customers who support them 🙂 If you’d like to join them they knit on Thursdays 1-3pm and Mondays 7-9pm.

Why did you decide to volunteer here?  My husband had died and I’d been made redundant from my job so I needed something to fill my time. I knew one of the Trustees who had just helped set the library up and she suggested I joined. This was in 2016.

As well as a library volunteer you run two clubs. You run the Homework club, tell me about this… First I joined to support children with coding and it snowballed and became the homework club. I also support the library behind the desk

What happens in Home Work Club? it offers opportunities for children to complete their homework with support and guidance if needed and to provide extra learning materials for children who don’t have any homework. This is tailored to their current needs. As an ex teacher and current tutor I understand the curriculum.

You also run the Bereavement Group, how did this come about and what happens in the sessions? Training was being offered in the library by St Christophers, so I volunteered. The sessions are informal, anyone can come who has been bereaved from any death; a child, a family member or a friend. We sit, have a cup of tea and talk. It’s a way of engaging people who have been bereaved and offer support. All information shared is confidential. We also have fun! There is a lovely atmosphere, everyone is respectful and some people have developed friendships outside of the group which is really nice.

How long are the sessions and do you have to book? 2 hours and no, you can just turn up.

What’s your favourite thing about volunteering here? Helping people. I really enjoy engaging with children and I’m so pleased about how the bereavement group has really blossomed.

Can you sum up the library in three words? Place to be!

Why would you recommend the library? There is a broad range of activities for the community, a lot of which is free. It’s a place for people to meet and feel safe.

• 1 November 10.30-12.30: Watercolour Workshop

• 1 November 11.15-12.15: Jackynory (Halloween)

• 1st, 8th, 15th & 22nd Nov 1-3pm Pashtu Classes

• 16th November 13.00 - 17.00 Yoga Workshop with Gabi

• 16th November 18.00 - 19.00 Sound Bath with Gabi

• 22nd November 11.15 - 12.15: Jackynory (Spiderman)

• 23rd November 18.00- 20.00 Sound Bath with Jo

• 29 November 10am-4pm: Christmas Fair

• 6th December 2-2.30pm Author Reading, Susan Elkin ‘Unheard Voices’

• 7th December K&F Christmas Culture Market

• 14th December 18.00 - 21.00 Christmas Music Spectacular

• 20th December 11.15-12.15: Jackynory (Christmas Special)