A north London community library revitalised by a Jewish charity can open more often and provide more life-changing opportunities to people with learning disabilities, thanks to new funding.
Childs Hill Library, run by Jewish learning disability and autism charity Kisharon Langdon, will increase its opening hours from 21 to 27 hours a week and take on a second paid member of staff.
It’s been made possible thanks to a £155,550, four-year grant from City Bridge Foundation, the owner of Tower Bridge and London’s biggest independent charity funder.
The funding will also enable the charity to expand a ground-breaking partnership which offers work placements in the library for neurodiverse adults, boosting their work skills and career prospects.
Giles Shilson, City Bridge Foundation chairman, said: “Kisharon Langdon have done an amazing job of reinventing the concept of the library and creating a thriving community hub.
“Their work placement scheme in particular is a really innovative solution which not only provides valuable real life work experience for adults with learning disabilities but also benefits the library and the community.”
Kisharon Langdon was awarded the contract to run the library, in Cricklewood Lane, by Barnet Council in 2017. It had previously been under threat of closure as part of a review of the borough’s library service.
It now offers a dizzying array of activities including reading groups, Lego club for children and a horticulture group which has transformed a previously barren space outside the library into a green oasis.
Until now, the library has been run entirely by volunteers overseen by library manager Neha Dhakar as the sole paid member of staff. The new funding means it will be able to take on an additional paid library officer.
Sarah Sharlott, Kisharon Langdon head of social enterprise, said: “Our library is a social and community space – we are about so much more than books.
“It’s about bringing people together and creating a space where people can go and give something back to the community. It’s a place for everybody and everybody has a place in our library.
“Having people with additional needs working in this very public space raises awareness of the challenges they face and the valuable contribution they can make. They’re just seen as being a regular part of the team.”
