Seascale Library Link – Annual report Apr 2024 to Apr 2025
Looking back over the year, it’s been very busy.
The team of around eighteen volunteers continues to work very well. Some have left, and there are some new faces, but the library continues to be a welcoming place for its visitors.
This is team is still overseen by six trustees and the treasurer, who look after the overall running of the library – safety (including rewriting the fire risk assessment this year) and any building issues, and staying in touch with the parish council.
We have also been well supported by Whitehaven Library with book exchanges, requests from other libraries, and general enquiries, and by the parish council.
The library has been used by several local groups. The reading group meets here, the health visitor has a baby clinic in the library, and there’s a well-being group. The building has also been used by the local knitters and local Scouting, and it’s a designated warm space when it’s open. Other community information groups have also used the library, notable “Digital Voice” about the new phone system.
The library took part in the summer reading challenge, and there is now a range of talking books on offer. We’ve introduced a “theme of the month” display to try to promote the different genres of books available.
Book donations from residents of the village are very generous, and there is a programme of turning the best of these into new books for the library, with the remainder being offered for sale to raise library funds. We also have a range of jigsaws for people to borrow, which is very popular.
We’ve held several coffee mornings, which were well attended, and we’ve also had a local history display, finishing with an enormously successful cheese and wine evening as part of Seascale Gala week.
Money raised from the coffee mornings was used to buy new armchairs and a table for the library, which looks much smarter as a result.
Christmas activities included a mulled wine and mince pie afternoon, a posting box for children’s letters to Santa, and a library Christmas tree in the Church Christmas tree festival.
We’ve introduced a fortnightly “cuppa and craft” session, and tried one or two story and craft sessions for younger children, although these weren’t as popular and will need a rethink. We’re also developing a new wildlife garden at the side of the library.
Since the monthly Saturday morning opening was very poorly attended, it has recently been decided to open every Saturday for a trial period of three months to see if that helps.
The building continues to have its issues. The planned refurbishment still seems a very long way off, although the plans are now complete. We are all looking forward to having a smarter, bigger library.
Seascale Community Library
Income and Expenditure for Period 1.4.22 to 31.3.23
| Income Grants Donations Hire of Premises Expenditure Non-Domestic Rates Bank Charges Miscellaneous Expenses Surplus Income over Expenditure Reconciliation Statement 31.3.23 Opening Balance Income Expenditure Balance c/f HELD Unity Bank Cash Total |
2023 5370 906 930 7206 697 72 542 1311 5895 2023 896 7206 8102 1310 6792 6726 66 6792 |
2022 595 319 - |
|---|---|---|
| 914 - 18 - |
||
| 18 896 |
||
| 2022 - 914 |
||
| 914 18 |
||
| 896 | ||
| 862 34 |
||
| 896 |
Seascale Community Library
Income and Expenditure for Period 1.4.23 to 31.3.24
| Income Grants Donations Hire of Premises Expenditure Non-Domestic Rates Bank Charges Miscellaneous Expenses Surplus Income over Expenditure Reconciliation Statement 31.3.24 Opening Balance Income Expenditure Balance c/f HELD Debtor (NNDR) Unity Bank Cash Total |
2024 2332 1464 1620 5416 - 72 6829 6901 -1485 2024 6792 5416 12208 6901 5307 414 4818 75 5307 |
2023 5370 906 930 |
|---|---|---|
| 7206 697 72 542 |
||
| 1311 5895 |
||
| 2023 896 7206 |
||
| 8102 1310 |
||
| 6792 | ||
| - 6726 66 |
||
| 6792 |
Seascale Community Library
Income and Expenditure for Period 1.4.24 to 31.3.25
| Income Grants Donations Hire of Premises Expenditure Non-Domestic Rates Bank Charges Miscellaneous Expenses Surplus Income over Expenditure Opening Balance Income Expenditure Balance c/f HELD Debtor (NNDR) Unity Bank Cash Total Reconciliation Statement 31.3.25 |
2025 0 1806 1968 3774 - 71 1848 1919 1855 2025 5307 3774 9081 1919 7162 - 7069 93 7162 |
2024 2332 1464 1620 |
|---|---|---|
| 5416 - 72 6829 |
||
| 6901 -1485 |
||
| 2024 6792 5416 |
||
| 12208 6901 |
||
| 5307 | ||
| 414 4818 75 |
||
| 5307 |