Addingham Library saved

When the facility was under threat of closure several years ago the local community stepped in to save it. However, over the last two years, volunteers and Addingham Parish Council faced several challenges, including being forced to close the listed building after discovering serious structural defects during refurbishment work. Since then, the library has been run in a portacabin with books looked after by village residents in their own homes.

The charity has now awarded £50,000 towards the refurbishment of the old building. The plans include the creation of a local heritage resource with a local history archive and tourism information service.

The grant came from the Weston Anniversary Fund launched to celebrate the foundation’s 60th year. The £5m fund was more than doubled to £11m after the scheme received more than 2,300 applications.

Carol Hindle, trustee and volunteer, said: “This funding award will keep the library alive in our small village and make it possible for us to offer so much more besides. I am so grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation, our trustees, parish council and volunteers who have stuck with us through this difficult patch. We have had so many letters of support for keeping a library in the village, and people have been marvellous in continuing to support us while we have had to operate from our tiny cramped tin hut. We can’t wait to get back into our home and set up the new heritage centre and hub as well.”