WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols visited Westbrook Library and Community Centre recently, along with local Councillors Kate Eglinton and Paul Warburton, to hear about the great work of local volunteers.
The library, which saw record visitor figures of more than 3,0000 people in February, has recently moved to a community-led operating model with an expanded programme of opportunities. The centre now has a strengthened team of over 100 volunteers that will work closely with Warrington Borough Council and Livewire teams. This will mean that the library will continue to play an important role in supporting residents’ wellbeing, learning, social connection and other local priorities.
The centre hosts various events and groups, including Rhyme Time, a Men’s Coffee Morning, Reminisce Café for people affected by dementia, Frailty Fighters and a Lego Club. Community coffee mornings are also regularly held to promote social interaction and engagement.
Ms Nichols said: “It was a pleasure visiting Westbrook Library and Community Centre with Councillors Kate Eglinton and Paul Warburton. It was great to hear about the work that the local volunteers at Westbrook Library Friends CIC are doing to maximise its use following the successful campaign to keep it open.”
“It is an important local venue and community asset. There are some exciting ideas for its future, and I’ll be working hard with the local volunteers to make sure these plans come to fruition. It’s undergoing a refurbishment over Easter thanks to the incredible volunteers, which will ensure more of the community can utilise the space for activities, events and wellbeing. I look forward to visiting again in the near future!”
The volunteer team are also keen to promote the centre’s rooms that are available to hire out for a range of events or groups, which will help to make the centre more financially sustainable in the long-term.
February saw more than 3,000 people visit the facility, a record figure. This follows the hard work of volunteers to expand the book collection, improve signage and promote the library and community centre on social media.
