LIBRARY fines are to be reduced in exchange for food items and sanitary products to help two worthy borough charities.

From Monday, December 3 to Friday, January 4, St Helens Libraries Service will once again reduce their library fines in return for donations to St Helens Food Band and period poverty campaign, The Red Box Project, which aims to ensure that no woman misses out on their education because of her period.

For each item of food or sanitary product donated, the service will reduce the amount of fines a person owes by £1.

Fines less than £1 will be cleared.

Libraries across the borough are taking part and items can be donated during normal opening hours.

This is the fourth year the service has ran this initiative, during which hundreds of items of food have been donated to the St Helens Food Bank based in Atherton Street which provides a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis.

The food bank is currently short of the following items:

· UHT long-life milk

· long-life orange juice

· sugar

· jam

St Helens Council’s portfolio holder for libraries, Cllr Anthony Burns, said: “The festive period for many is the season of good will, so we’d be delighted to see a positive response from the public once again as we look to reach out to members of our communities who are less fortunate.

“You don’t even need to have a library fine to make a donation, as we’ll gladly accept items regardless.”

Donators should be aware that no fresh or perishable food can be accepted.