Funding for St Helens community library services stays open

As reported, the £50,000 funding scheme is open for a further round of applications, enabling local community groups and charities to deliver their visions for community libraries.

Almost £25,000 was delivered in the first round to six community library projects by St Helens Council, with the rest available to applications until October 24.

Community libraries are run at sites which are independent of the council and can range from a full library offer of book loans to a more limited offer within an existing building such as a book exchange, lending library, or public access computers.

The key principle is that the offer must be publicly accessible throughout the week – and led by a community organisation, volunteers or community employed paid staff.

Groups that have already secured funding include Billinge Chapel End, Crownway Community Centre in Newton-le-Willows, Derbyshire Hill Family Centre in Parr, Seneley Green Parish Council, St Thomas Church in Eccleston also known as Church St Helens, and the YMCA in St Helens Town Centre.

Among the services to be delivered, recipients have detailed their plans to provide book exchanges, IT access, job search and CV writing assistance, community cafés to address social isolation, board games, and specialised support for young people.

Cllr Sue Murphy MBE, the council’s cabinet member for localities, culture and heritage, said: “In our Library Strategy 2023-2028 we set out a new chapter for our library services, with plans to reach new individuals and communities and tackle local inequalities – while delivering more efficiently to meet the difficult budget challenges we face. Certainly, we’re seeing greater engagement in our libraries, boosted by continued investment in our buildings and services.

“Communities were always at the heart of this strategy, with a desire to see local groups and charities already established within them take a greater role in providing community services – for the community by the community – in line with our hopes for VCFSE groups in our St Helens Together Strategy.

“I’m delighted that these six groups and charities have come forward with exciting, bespoke and deliverable plans for community libraries, and hope to see even more applications in this second round of funding.”

Training and guidance will be offered to any organisation who wishes to consider operating a community library. The training will include how to recruit, train and support volunteers, who will be crucial to the sustainability of a community library.

Applications for the grants can be submitted online before the October 24, 2025 deadline.