A brand new library is officially opening its doors in Southport this weekend!
Everyone is invited to the unveiling of the new Cornerstone Library, which will open at The Cornerstone Methodist Church on Marshside Road in Churchtown from 10am this Saturday (28th October 2023).
Former Heartbeat TV star David Lonsdale will perform the official opening, all welcome.
You’re invited to come along as your favourite book character; bring your favourite book; and have a go at the book tombola!
The new facility is the culmination of a 10-year campaign to reopen a library in the northern half of Southport.
It follows the closure of Churchtown Library in 2013, one of seven in Sefton – and three in Southport (Churchtown, Birkdale and Ainsdale) – that were closed that year by Sefton Council at a time when it faced huge cuts to local authority funding.
The Edda educational and cultural hub and library subsequently opened in Ainsdale Village in 2015 while Birkdale Community Hub and Library opened in the Station Master’s House in Birkdale Village in 2021.
The new library in Churchtown will be operated by local charity, the North Meols Library Association. It is operated entirely by volunteers.
Trustees at the new Cornerstone Library in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
A series of fundraising events have taken place in recent years including a charity walk on Saturday from the site of the old Churchtown Library to the site of the new one.
Volunteers also handed out leaflets to passers-by to promote the new hub.
The new facility is serving the communities of Banks, Churchtown, Crossens, High Park, Marshside and beyond.
Opening hours are: Tuesdays 10am-1pm; Wednesdays 10am-4.30pm; Thursdays 1pm-4.30pm; Saturdays 10am-1pm.
North Meols Library Association Secretary Trustee Anjie Holt said:
“After 10 years of community campaigns, fundraising and hard graft from our wonderful volunteers we are pleased to announce that The Cornerstone Library, situated in the Cornerstone Methodist Church, Churchtown, will be officially opened on Saturday 28 October at 10am by David Lonsdale, a local resident of Heartbeat fame.
Cornerstone Library in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
“Please join us on the day, between 10am – 1pm, or visit us during the week, Tuesdays 10am-1pm, Wednesdays 10.30am-4.30pm, Thursdays 1pm-4.30pm and Saturdays 10am-1pm. Opening hours may change slightly.
“Our Library Assistants will help you register with the library and browse our extensive selection of books for adults, young people and children.
“We would like to thank the wider community for its support to this long-awaited project.
“We look forward to welcoming you to YOUR library!”
Since the closure of the hugely popular Churchtown Library in 2013, the communities of Banks, Churchtown, Crossens, High Park and Marshside have been without a local library facility.
Cornerstone Library in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
In 2015, a small but committed group of residents volunteered their time to find a suitable replacement.
The Library in the Gardens project that would have seen a library open in the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown sadly proved unviable.
Feedback and the success of pop-up library facilities reaffirmed the belief that a more permanent community hub and library were needed for the North Meols area.
The Cornerstone Methodist Church generously stepped in to provide its unused vestry.
The new facility has been made possible thanks to a huge amount of hard work and dedication over several years by a team of campaigners and volunteers, including retirees, empty-nesters, part-time workers, students and others.
Please follow their news by Liking The Cornerstone Library Churchtown Facebook page here.
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