Ackworth Community Library gets £8.5k grant to encourage children to read

The grant from national education charity the Ernest Cook Trust will also help to provide more books for local schools.

The library at Bell Lane was closed by Wakefield Council in March 2013 but was re-opened by a group of volunteers. It now has more than 1,300 members, aged from two to 92. Almost 40 per cent of its members are under 16.

The award will help the library develop resources for children, including introducing a reading programme and fun activities for younger children, and increasing the stock of children’s and teenage books.

The aim is to encourage youngsters to develop literacy, numeracy and social skills.

Library manager Helen Shaw said: “The library is already working with children and young people both within the library itself and in local schools, but many more books are needed to cater for the growing demand. This grant will enable us to offer a comprehensive service to individual children, groups and schools.”

Fact file:

Ackworth Community Library is based within the Parish Council Community Centre on Bell Lane.

It opens six half-days a week and has more than 1,300 members. The library has become a hub for the local community as a place to meet and socialise as well as providing traditional services.

There is something for everyone to read with more than 9,000 books covering a wide range of topics. There is also an extensive children’s library and sections for teenage readers and fans of audiobooks. See the ‘in the community’ section of www.ackworthparishcouncil.gov.uk for more details about the library.

For more information about the grants scheme see www.ernestcooktrust.org.uk