THE efforts of community volunteers to take over the running of Beechcroft Library have been praised by members of Stratton St Margaret Parish Council as they renewed their appeal for funding a month in to their tenure.

Last month the parish council took over the running of Beechcroft Library in Upper Stratton from Swindon Borough Council, after the borough ceased responsibility for all but a core of five town libraries.

Councillor Joe Tray told councillors at a meeting on Tuesday that a number of volunteers had come forward to offer their services. “It’s proving – I think – to be what the council is all about – it’s a bonus to our community. It is for the people of Stratton who might have felt out in the cold a little, and I think this is a win-win. I know there was some surprise about calling it Beechcroft Library, but it is what it is.”

Earlier in the year the council had called on members of the community to suggest a new name for the library, with such suggestions including Stratton Book Hub, Stratton’s New Leaf, The Page Turner, The Beech Hut and, comically, Dave.

Plans are now afoot to secure lottery funding to put towards a disabled access lift to the venue. The council has also launched a Crowdfunding page to help with the running of the library. So far a crowdfunding page has received £365 in donations of the £10,000 needed within the next two and a half weeks.

Tracy Predeth, clerk to the council said “Swindon Borough Council have awarded us this opportunity to run the library on an annual service level agreement, we have a year to prove this can work, but of course we need to make it a place people want to go. We wish to purchase new books, resources and make it a fresh, comfortable place that everyone wants to be.”

The council’s ‘Bringing a Library & Hub back to the Community’ funding page is active until 10am on November7.

All pledges will help bring Beechcroft Library, at the heart of Upper Stratton, back to life, with new books and resources. To make a donation visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/bringing-a-library-hub-back-to-the-community