£20,000 National Lottery Boost for our library!

Bedale Community Library which has been run by volunteers since 2017, has secured £20,000 in funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to support a major refurbishment project, aiming to enhance facilities and attract more visitors.

Jenny Barrie, chair of the library trustees, said "We were amazed and delighted when we were told by the National Lottery Community Fund that they would be giving us the money.  This goes a long way towards the major overhaul we are planning."

Plans include upgrading the entrance and children's areas and a full redecoration of the library, which is housed in a Grade 1 listed building in Bedale.

The library was established by volunteers after North Yorkshire County Council withdrew funding as part of budget cuts.  Since then it has grown steadily and now welcomes over 20,000 visitors each year, supported by 35 volunteers.

Ms Barrie also said:

"Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the library, they are marvellous and support from the community is huge.  This extremely generous donation from the National Lottery Community Fund is really appreciated and will help us to transform the building.  It will then play a major part in ensuring the future of this desperately needed service."

Whilst the library is well used by young people and older adults, organisers hope that improvements will help attract more people from all age groups.

Ms Barrie said:

"We want to make sure it is a warm and welcoming place for everyone and especially for those who need a bit of extra help.  We are a Safe Place and a Warm Place, and we offer a range of services including IT help, Story Time, assistance with form filling such as the Household Support Fund and Blue Badge applications, advice when needed, or just a space to sit down and take a breath and to read a book if it helps."

The trustees are seeking additional funding from other organisations to support further improvements.

In addition to the refurbishment project, volunteers have been running outreach sessions in the community.

Ms Barrie said:

"In this National Year of Reading, we wanted to make sure that as many people as possible know about what the library can offer.  We are rather tucked away at the far end of Bedale and thought this would be a great way to reach more people.  We are very grateful to the Co-op for letting us use their space."

The library is appealing for further support to achieve its full plans.  Anyone wishing to contribute can contact Ms Barrie by visiting the library in person, calling 01609 534573, or emailing [email protected].

Ms Barrie said: "It gives us the confidence to forge ahead with plans to improve and update this well-used and much appreciated library."        

Published: 25/03/2026 Published by: Bedale Community Library

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