Community Managed Libraries Awards 2024

We are excited to announce that Norton Canes Library is receiving an award for its efforts in creating a vibrant Community Hub! As part of the Community Managed Libraries Awards, which celebrate the achievements and excellence of individuals, teams, and organisations in the community library sector, our team is being recognised for the difference we have made not just locally, but to the wider libraries sector across England and Wales.

Volunteer Library Co-ordinator, Will will travel to Swindon on Wednesday, 9th October to collect the award on behalf of our team.

About our Library

Norton Canes Community Library and Information Hub is a community managed library which is solely run by volunteers under the management of Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust with support from Staffordshire County Council.

The volunteers of this library have worked extremely hard over the past 12 months to raise the profile of this library, turning it from being just a library into a local community hub. They have worked tirelessly to ensure that the meeting rooms are always full with a wide variety of activities for the public to enjoy. They have varied, inclusive weekly activities for all different age ranges and abilities:

• Cuppa and a Chat (all ages)
• Toddler Story Time
• Little Chicks (babies & toddlers)
• Rhythm Time (babies & toddlers) – 3 sessions every week
• Sewing Group (all ages)
• Card Craft (all ages)
• Craft Group (all ages)
• Knit & Natter (all ages)
• Painting Group (all ages)
• Open Hands Social Group (all ages)
• Reading Club (all ages)
• Creative Writing & Poetry Group (all ages)

Norton Canes Community Managed Library has a beautiful wellbeing Garden which the volunteer team has worked really hard to get cleared to give opportunity for the community to spend time gardening, offering opportunities to address long standing health concerns with some of the users – including boosting mood, helping combat stress as well as increasing strength and improving memory. This has been well supported by local care homes, local schools & local scouts groups and clearly demonstrates the reach the Library has into its community networks.

The library also provides opportunities to young people to gain work experience and has volunteers that are experienced in youth work to support them within the library setting.

Every volunteer in the library works hard to ensure that everyone is met with a warm and friendly welcome and ensures that it is seen as a safe place for all members of the community to access and use. A recent overhaul of the old storage room in the library has been cleared and turned into a Sensory Room open for anyone to use, the decision coming after volunteers undertook detailed community based research which concluded that there were not any sensory rooms in the area that could be used at any time without pre-booking.

A number of volunteers have recently attended the training course “Making Every Contact Count”. This course is designed to support the volunteers in their conversations to promote the health and wellbeing of the people they come into contact with. It also empowered the volunteers to signpost members of the community to other services/activities where they can find the support they need.

Norton Canes Community Managed Library is made up of a passionate and dynamic team of volunteers who go above and beyond for their local community. They are always investigating and researching creative ways of supporting people in their community and looking for new opportunities to reach those in need. Over the last year it has become a vibrant and welcoming place which is the heart of the community, providing something for everyone to get involved with.